Ukrainian MiG-29 pilot killed in combat; Ghost of Kyiv brigade loses flight leader

Ukraine's Air Force Command reported the combat death of Capt. Marat Mambetov, a flight leader in the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade, on Oct. 1. The loss is part of ongoing attrition in Ukraine's fighter pilot corps amid sustained air operations. The incident underscores continued combat intensity but does not signal a shift in the air war's trajectory.