Ihor Bedzai

Ihor Bedzai
Born	20 July 1972 Mykolaiv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Died	7 May 2022 (aged 49) Odesa Oblast, Ukraine
Allegiance	Ukraine
Service/branch	Ukrainian Naval Aviation
Rank	Colonel
Commands held	Commander of the Ukrainian Naval Aviation Deputy Commander of the Ukrainian Navy
Battles/wars	Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022–present)
Awards	Hero of Ukraine Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky III class

Ihor Volodymyrovych Bedzai (Ukrainian: Ігор Володимирович Бедзай; 20 July 1972 – 7 May 2022) was a Ukrainian naval officer and pilot killed when his helicopter was shot down by invading Russian forces during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He was also the Deputy Commander of the Ukrainian Navy.^[1] He was a posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine as a recipient of the Order of the Gold Star, and the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky III class.

Commemoration

On 24 June 2022, in accordance with the Decree of the President of Ukraine, in order to perpetuate the memory of the Hero of Ukraine, Colonel Ihor Bedzai, his courage and heroism, indomitable spirit, revealed during the defense of the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, taking into account the exemplary performance of the assigned tasks by the personnel The 10th Naval Aviation Brigade of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the brigade was named after the Hero of Ukraine, Colonel Ihor Bedzai, and in the future the brigade became known as the "10th Marine Aviation Brigade named after the Hero of Ukraine, Colonel Ihor Bedzai of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine".^[2]

Awards

• Hero of Ukraine with the Order of the Golden Star (May 11, 2022, posthumously)^[3]
• Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky 3d class (August 21, 2014)^[4]
• Medal For Military Service to Ukraine (February 19, 2004)^[5]
• Medal "For Irreproachable Service" 3d class (July 1, 2011)^[6]

References

Sources

• Указ Президента Archived 2017-08-06 at the Wayback Machine
• Діордієв, В. Останній політ, або Земля та небо полковника Бедзая // АрміяInform. — 2022. — 4 серпня.
• Вони зберегли честь Військово-Морських сил України і вберегли Україну від вторгнення на східних кордонах
• На Sea Breeze-2014 відпрацьовано епізод з протичовнового забезпечення кораблів Archived 2015-01-29 at the Wayback Machine