# 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade

The 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade (Military Unit Number А1789) is a formation of the Ukrainian Air Force, composed primarily of Mikoyan MiG-29 aircraft, that is based at Vasylkiv.

## History

In January 1992 the regiment took the oath of loyalty to the Ukrainian people.
Upon the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade played an important role in the Kyiv offensive. Its fighter aircraft battled the Russian Air Force over Kyiv and attempted to disrupt Russian advances on the ground. The unit took part in the Battle of Antonov Airport and the Battle of Kyiv; one of its pilots, Lt. Col. Vyacheslav Yerko (posthumously Hero of Ukraine, Gold Star Order), reportedly shot down four Russian aircraft on the invasion's first day before being killed. The brigade was given the honorary title "Ghost of Kyiv" in 2024 by a decree issued by President Zelenskyy.

## Aircraft

* MiG-29, MiG-29UB, MiG-29M1
* L39M1

## List of aircraft

At the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, 18-21 MiG-29s units were reported in operational status among Ukrainian Brigades. Along the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade, the 204th and 114th Brigades of the Ukrainian Air Force operates MiG-29. In was reported during the Russian invasion of Ukraine that brigades shared pilots and airframes.
Here is a list of all reported operational aircraft since the 2022 conflict and their fates during the conflict.
| Tail Number | Type | Status | Note |
| Blue 03 | MiG-29MU1 | Shot down 24 February 2022, after taking off Vasylkiv Air Base, Kyiv. | Pilot Vyacheslav Radionov was killed. |
| Blue 10 | MiG-29 (9.13) | Shot down amid Geran-2 drone attack on 12 October 2022 on Turbiv, Vinnytsia Oblast. | Pilot Vadym Voroshylov callsign "Karaya" ejected and survived. |
| Blue 12 | MiG-29MU2 | Operational as of 2022 | |
| Blue 31 | MiG-29 (9.13) | Operational as of 2023 | |
| Blue 35 | MiG-29 | Crashed on 25 February 2022 by unknown cirsunstances. | Pilot ejected and survived. |
| Blue 47 | MiG-29 | Operational as of 2023 | |
| White 05 | MiG-29MU1 | Shot down on 24 February 2022, near Volodymyrivka | Pilot Vyacheslav Yerko was killed. |
| White 08 | MiG-29MU1 | Operational as of 2023 | |
| White 09 | MiG-29MU1 | Operational as of 2022 | |
| White 10 | MiG-29 (9.13) | Shot down by Russian forces 9 March 2022, near Novopil, Zhytomyr. | Pilot Mayor Yevgeny Lysenko died. |
| White 12 | MiG-29MU2 | Shot down on 2 June 2023 by a Russian S-300 on vicinity of Mirne, Donetsk Oblast. | Pilot Major Vladyslav Savieliev callsing "Nomad" was killed. |
| White 15 | MiG-29MU1 | Shot down by Russian forces on 14 March 2022. | Wreckage recorded by French media in Nova Basan, Chernihiv Oblast. |
| White 16 | MiG-29MU1 | Damaged on 24 February 2022, by a Russian missiles attack on Vasylkiv Air Base in Kyiv. | |
| White 19 | MiG-29 | Operational since in 2021 | |
| White 21 | MiG-29 | In storage in 2022 | |
| White 22 | MiG-29MU1 | Damaged during a emergency landing on 30 April 2024. | Pilot survived. |
| White 33 | MiG-29 | Operational as of 2022 | |
| White 34 | MiG-29 | Operational as of 2023 | |
| White 36 | MiG-29 | Operational as of 2023 | |
| White 38 | MiG-29 | Operational as of 2023 | |
| White 40 | MiG-29 | Operational as of 2022 | |
| White 46 | MiG-29 | Operational as of 2023 | |
| White 47 | MiG-29 | Operational as of 2023 | |
| White 70 | MiG-29 | In storage in 2022 | |
| White 72 | MiG-29 (9.13) | Destroyed during combat mission 12 August 2024 | Pilot Capitan Oleksandr Mygulya was killed. |
| White 90 | MiG-29UB | Operational as of 2022 | |
| White 371 | MiG-29A/G | Shot down by Russian airdefenses, pilot Valentin "Beekeeper" Korenchuk was killed. | Ex-Polish Air Force |
| White 3xx | MiG-29A/G | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Polish Air Force |
| White 3xx | MiG-29A/G | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Polish Air Force |
| White 3xx | MiG-29A/G | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Polish Air Force |
| White 3xx | MiG-29A/G | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Polish Air Force |
| White 3xx | MiG-29A/G | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Polish Air Force |
| White 3xx | MiG-29A/G | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Polish Air Force |
| White 3xx | MiG-29A/G | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Polish Air Force |
| White 3xx | MiG-29A/G | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Polish Air Force |
| White 3xx | MiG-29A/G | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Polish Air Force |
| White 405 | MiG-29GT | Lost on January 5 2024. Pilot Vladyslav Zalistovskyi died. | Ex-Polish Air Force |
| White 4xx | MiG-29GT | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Polish Air Force |
| White 4xx | MiG-29GT | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Polish Air Force |
| White 4xx | MiG-29GT | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Polish Air Force |
| Unknown | MiG-29A | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Slovak Air Force |
| Unknown | MiG-29A | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Slovak Air Force |
| Unknown | MiG-29A | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Slovak Air Force |
| Unknown | MiG-29A | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Slovak Air Force |
| Unknown | MiG-29A | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Slovak Air Force |
| Unknown | MiG-29A | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Slovak Air Force |
| Unknown | MiG-29A | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Slovak Air Force |
| Unknown | MiG-29A | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Slovak Air Force |
| Unknown | MiG-29A | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Slovak Air Force |
| Unknown | MiG-29A | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Slovak Air Force |
| Unknown | MiG-29A | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Slovak Air Force |
| Unknown | MiG-29UB | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Slovak Air Force |
| Unknown | MiG-29UB | Operational as of 2023 | Ex-Slovak Air Force |

## Pilots who lost their lives

* Andrii Pilshchykov (Juice)
* Valentyn Korenchuk
* Vladyslav Savieliev
* Mykhailo Matiushenko
* Stepan Tarabalka
* Oleksii Mes