「キーウの幽霊」葬儀に多数参列　ウクライナ空軍のエース

【キーウＡＦＰ＝時事】ウクライナで２９日、コールサイン「ジュース」として知られ、首都上空を防衛して「キーウの幽霊」とも称された空軍のエースパイロット、アンドリー・ピルシチコウ少佐（２９）の葬儀が執り行われ、大勢の参列者が集まった。（写真はウクライナの首都キーウにあるカトリック教会の大聖堂で執り行われたアンドリー・ピルシチコウ少佐の葬儀）
　第４０戦術航空旅団所属のピルシチコウ少佐は先週、西部ジトーミル州上空での訓練飛行中に２人のパイロットと共に死亡した。才能のみならず、西側諸国へのＦ１６戦闘機供与の働き掛けに関しても、全国から惜しむ声が寄せられている。
　ドニエプル川のほとりにあるカトリック教会の大聖堂では、親族や兵士を含む弔問者によるウクライナ国歌が響き渡った。国旗で包まれたひつぎの上にはピルシチコウ少佐の帽子が置かれていた。
　予備役のオレクサンドル・ドブガル中佐はピルシチコウ少佐について、「効率的に技術を向上できる米国式のパイロット訓練を行えるよう、官僚的形式主義をなくそうとしていた」とし、米国での訓練に参加した後、ウクライナ空軍の近代化を考えるようになっていたと振り返った。
　さらに「（米兵が）ジュースというコールサインを付与したのは、アルコールを一滴も飲まず、ジュースしか飲まなかったからだ」と説明した。
　恋人のメラニヤ・ポドリャクさんは「彼が亡くなった日、私もジトーミルに連れて行ってもらった。２時間で戻ると言っていたのに、二度と戻って来なかった」とＡＦＰに話した。
　ミコラ・オレシチュク空軍司令官は、ひつぎのそばに花束を手向け、母親に弔意を表した。「ただの戦闘機パイロットというだけでなく」「伝説的な存在だった」と声を詰まらせた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2023/08/30-16:04）

The cap of a Ukrainian fighter pilot known as Juice sat atop his flag-draped casket Tuesday as mourners gathered to pay homage to the 29-year-old considered legendary by the country's air force.
Andriy Pilshchykov died last week with two other pilots during a training flight over the northern Zhytomyr region, prompting tributes from across the country for not only his talents but efforts in pushing the West to provide Ukraine with F-16 jets.
He wanted to fight bureaucracy, so that we could have American-style pilot training ?- no wasting time, just improving your skills, reserve Lieutenant Colonel Oleksandr Dovgal told AFP.
Pilshchykov was inspired to modernise the air force after attending training in the United States, he added.
(US soldiers) gave him the call sign Juice because he absolutely did not drink alcohol but only drank juice, Dovgal said.
The Ukrainian anthem, sung by mourners who included relatives and servicemen, echoed through the 20th-century Catholic cathedral on the banks of the Dnipro river.
Pilshchykov was part of Ukraine's 40th tactical aviation brigade, also known as the Ghosts of Kyiv, which protected the skies over the capital.
On the day he died, he took me to Zhytomyr... and told me he hoped to be back in two hours. And he never came back, his girlfriend Melaniya Podolyak told AFP.
Ukraine's air force commander Mykola Oleshchuk laid a bouquet of flowers near the coffin and offered condolences to Pilshchykov's mother.
He wasn't only a fighter pilot but a legend, Oleshchuk said, his voice full of emotion.
- Modern dream -
More than 100 deployments, dozens of Russian command posts destroyed and dozens of enemies eliminated -- this is his contribution to our victory, Oleshchuk said.
Speaking perfect English, Pilshchykov was also a tireless representative for Kyiv to US lawmakers in order to obtain F-16 jets for strengthening the Ukrainian fleet, which dates from the Soviet era, and to advance its counteroffensive against Russia.
He really wanted our air force to be modern and he did a lot to get us these F-16s, Dovgal said, adding the young pilot was also very nice and easy-going.
Over the weekend, Ukrainian officials praised the pilot's contribution to the war effort.
Air force spokesperson Yuriy Ignat said Pilshchykov was a young officer with mega knowledge and mega talent.
(Pilshchykov) was courageous, principled, uncompromising, actively spoke in the Western media, in particular on the issue of providing Ukraine with modern F-16 aircraft, his brigade said.
The crash is a blow for Kyiv after having secured assurances this month from Western allies, including the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway, that they would provide the US-made F-16s.
President Volodymyr Zelensky led tributes to the crash victims in an address Saturday, praising them as defenders of Ukraine's free sky and vowing an investigation into the cause of the disaster.