The Ukrainian Air Force say they have been delighted to be back at this weekend’s Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.The air arm was last present at the Air Tattoo in 2000 when the event took place at RAF Cottesmore in Rutland: prior to that they’d appeared at Fairford in 1999, having made their Air Tattoo debut in 1996.

Now, in the 40th-anniversary year of the show, the Ukrainians have returned bringing two stars of the static display with them: the Sukhoi Su-27 and a giant Ilyushin Il-76 transport plane.

Lt Gen Sergii Onyschenko of the Ukrainian Air Force said he was delighted his Air Force could be represented at the show. He said: “I am very proud that our Air Force could take part in this world famous airshow.

Gen Onyschenko first visited the UK when he was a student at the General Staff College in Ukraine, and said he took home many memories. “Britain and Ukraine have a very good close relationship and it will continue with visits like this,” he said.

While at the Air Tattoo, Gen Onyschenko met Prince Michael of Kent and Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton: the special guests were shown around the aircraft and invited to sit in the Su-27.

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