U.S. service member killed in Ukraine jet crash

Oct. 17 (UPI) -- One of the two service members killed in a Ukrainian military jet crash earlier this week was a California Air National Guard member, U.S. Air Forces in Europe said Wednesday.

The U.S. military withheld the name of the member of the 144th Fighter Wing based out of Fresno, Calif., pending notification of next of kin.

"This is a sad day for the United States and Ukraine," said Maj. Gen. Clay Garrison, California ANG commander and Clear Sky exercise director. "Our deepest condolences go out to the family, friends and fellow Airmen of both the U.S. Airman and Ukrainian aviator who were killed in the incident."

The American service member and a Ukrainian service member died Tuesday when the Su-27UB fighter jet they were in crashed near the western Ukrainian city of Khmelnytskyi. They were taking part in a North Atlantic Treaty Organization training exercise called Clear Sky 2018 -- Ukraine's largest training exercise in history.

The exercise involves about 950 personnel from Belgium, Britain, Denmark, Estonia, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Ukraine and the United States.