Mid-air collision kills three Ukrainian military pilots

Three Ukrainian pilots have died after two L-39 trainer aircraft collided in mid-air in central Ukraine, the country’s air force said in a statement on Saturday.

The loss of three pilots will be a blow to Ukraine, which is about to undertake a huge effort to quickly train up its air crews on Western-donated F-16 fighter jets, up to 61 of which have been pledged to Kyiv.