Zelensky’s Top Gun aces: Ukrainian pilots show-off their incredible combat skills in promo video for their air force – and plead for more cash to continue their aerial fight against Putin

  • Pilots completed loops in the sky and made the Ukraine flag with their engines
  • And Kenny Loggins’ iconic Danger Zone makes the Top Gun inspiration clear
  • Ukraine’s Aviation Day, which fell yesterday, saw nation’s fighter pilots heralded
  • Ukraine has sought to persuade the United States to sell Kyiv F-16 fighter jets 

Ukrainian pilots have been filmed completing Top Gun-style stunts in the air over their war-torn country to the soundtrack of the iconic 1980s film.

Video released by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) yesterday shows the nation’s top guns gliding effortlessly and even spinning upside in the air.

Kenny Loggins’ Top Gun song Danger Zone plays in the background, making the viral clip’s inspiration unmistakable.

The video was released to mark Ukraine’s Aviation Day, which fell yesterday.

The incredible footage shared by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence was set to the 1980s tune

Kyiv has hoped to use the valiance of its pilots to convince America to send more fighter jets

Other audacious stunts pulled off by the country’s pilots included helicopters flying under telephone lines.

But the clip posted by the Ukrainian MoD was also intended to persuade the United States to sell Kyiv F-16 fighter jets.

The US Air Force in July said it would consider sending the highly advanced warplanes for use in Zelensky’s army – but this month confirmed that would not happen.

The Pentagon instead announced a new $1billion (£850billion) arms supply package for Ukraine, including HIMARS rockets and missile launchers.

The video was released to mark Ukraine’s Aviation Day, which fell yesterday (August 27)

A squadron of fighter planes used their engines to make the Ukrainian flag in the sky

That came before another $3billion (£2.5billion) was pledged by Washington days later.

The money will fund contracts for drones, weapons and other equipment that may not see the battlefront for a year or two.

With the added $3billion, the Biden administration will have offered a total of near $14billion over the course of 19 aid packages since February. 

That’s in addition to two separate aid packages, one worth $40billion and one worth $13.6billion that Congress has approved for Ukraine.

Ukraine has pleaded with Washington to receive F-16 advanced jets (pictured near Iran in July)

Last week’s package totaled $775 million, and contains 16 Howitzer systems, 1,000 Javelin systems that have been hammering Russian armor, as well as an undisclosed number of HARM missiles that go after radar systems.

Also included are 15 ScanEagle drones, a low-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle made by Boeing, as well as 40 MRAPS, tactical vehicles meant to withstand improvised explosives.

The drones can be used for surveillance, and are launched using a pneumatic launcher without the need for an airfield.

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