Vitalii V. Markevych

27-year-old military pilot Vitaliy Markevych was killed on December 11, 2022 near the city of Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region. During the performance of a combat mission, the Mi-8 helicopter, on board of which Vitaliy Markevych was, was shot down by a missile from a Russian MiG-31 fighter. The crew perished. Vitaliy was born in the city of Novyi Kalyniv, Lviv region. From a young age, he dreamed of a military career. Therefore, after graduating from school, he entered the Ivan Kozhedub Kharkiv National University of the Air Force, majoring in "Aviation Transport". Later, he successfully completed his studies and became an officer. After graduation, he was assigned to the 12th separate army aviation brigade named after Major General Viktor Pavlenko. He was an on-board aviation technician. From the first days of the full-scale invasion, Vitaliy carried out combat missions on the front lines, successfully destroying the occupiers and bringing Ukraine's victory closer. "The best husband, father and son. Always smiling and cheerful. He was, is and remains our Hero. We miss him very much," said the officer's wife Inna. The pilot was buried in his hometown. At home, Vitaliy was awaited by his wife and son, who was 1.5 years old at the time of his father's death. Posthumously, the hero was promoted to the rank of captain and awarded the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytskyi of the III degree.