Pilot Igor Bedzai died defending Ukraine
Aviation Incidents Aviation War with Russia Ukrainian Navy Losses Mi-14 Helicopters Ukraine
A Navy officer, Deputy Commander of the Navy for Aviation, Colonel Igor Bedzai died in the sky.
This was announced by the director of the Return Alive Foundation Taras Chmut.
The pilot died while performing a combat mission, as part of the crew of a Mi-14 naval helicopter from a Russian fighter rocket.
The Mi-14 is a coastal-based multi-purpose naval helicopter.
Igor Bedzai is better known as a former commander of the 10th Naval Aviation Brigade from Novofedorovka, near Sak, Crimea.
He held the position of Deputy Commander of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for Aviation.
As of 2014, he was acting Commander of the 10th Saki Naval Aviation Brigade of the Ukrainian Navy.
In 2014, Colonel Bezdai was almost the only one of the entire fleet command who showed leadership and determination - while everyone was waiting for orders from Kyiv, he organized personnel and prepared equipment.
Then, in front of the occupiers, he overtook all operational aircraft to the mainland of Ukraine.
"And the next day - he repeated it with the fact that he could not fly the first day," - said Taras Chmut.
The colonel was awarded the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky III degree, and in 2018 received a prize weapon.
"In fact, thanks to the leadership of Igor Vladimirovich, we saved the Naval Aviation," wrote Taras Chmut.
