The story of the life and death of one of the best Su-25 pilots, Vladyslav Rykov – photo

30-year-old Vladyslav Rykov from Luhansk region, who became one of the best Su-25 pilots and a terror for the occupiers, died on February 7 in Vinnytsia region. His attack aircraft was hit by an enemy missile.

When the future pilot was six years old, they tried to kill him, the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine says.

“Luhansk region, bandits, shootout. The boy was saved by law enforcement officer Yuriy Pokusaev. Everyone died: Vlad’s younger brother, his mother, colleague Yuriy. Local resuscitators were skeptical. But Vlad survived“, the post says.

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When Yurii Pokusaev found out that the boy had no relatives at all, he took care of him.

Vlad Rykov was one of the best Su-25 pilots and a terror to the invaders

“My son constantly spent time with me at airfields, as a schoolboy I took him on a light plane. He was so burning in the sky!

Then he created the Aviation Training Cadet Center for Vladyk and his friends, which is still functioning, many of the current heroes are his students. And when the time came to choose a university, the question did not even arise – only the Kharkiv National University of the Air Force“, says Yuriy Pokusaev.

The boy was 28 years old when the full-scale Russian invasion began.

“Kharkiv region, Kyiv region, Donetsk region, Luhansk region, enemy fighters and air defense. The man was saved by professionalism, stress resistance and thirst for victory!

The Russians were convinced that “aviation in Ukraine no longer exists!” But they were deeply mistaken. Vlad confidently burned the invaders and their equipment!” – says the command.

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With the beginning of the large-scale invasion, father and son also worked side by side, Vlad – in a combat attack aircraft, Yuri – with the civilian air patrol. Yuriy Pokusaev recalls: it happened that they were launched almost simultaneously.

Vladyslav had an interesting nickname – “MAGIC”, which means “magic” in English. It was given to the boy for his virtuoso style of piloting.

“I saw him as a future commander in case I died. He covered me: and not only in heaven, but he was always there, we solved all problems together, talked dozens of times a day“, says the commander of Vladyslav, Hero of Ukraine, lieutenant colonel Rostyslav Lazarenko.

The pilot is survived by his wife and little daughter Mira

Vladyslav Rykov was a full knight of the Order of Courage, one of the best Ukrainian attack pilots.

On February 7, he made his last, 385th flight.

“It was an ordinary day of battle. A typical task is to damage the enemy by fire. Vlad shook hands. Departure He had 17 minutes to live.”– recalls the commander of Vladyslav.

Before his eyes, the rocket hit Vlad’s attack plane.

“The R-37 missile, which the occupiers had not used for quite some time, left no chance. A fraction of a second. Vlad did not have time to say anything on the air“, Lazarenko continues.

On February 7, he made his last, 385th flight

The commander is convinced: it was revenge, because the day before the pilots kindly “poured” on the Russians. The man hoped to the last that Vlad miraculously managed to eject.

“He was very valuable to me. I decided long ago to protect him, at least to try. But how to protect him in war?– asks the commander.

The pilot’s father, Yuriy Pokusaev, regrets that Ukrainian pilots will switch to F-16 without Vlad – his son really dreamed of modern planes that would be able to better protect Ukraine.

The pilot is survived by his wife and little daughter Mira. The commander promises that he will always support them.

All photos: Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

“We agreed long ago with Vlad: if one of us dies, the other will take care of his family.

Vlad loved his girls very much, he practically did not see his family for a year and a half after the beginning of the invasion and was very upset about it. So I rented an apartment relatively close to the location of the unit and finally started to hug them more often“, concludes the commander.

Vladyslav Rykov was awarded the military rank of “colonel” posthumously. The pilot was buried on Alley Slavy in Vinnytsia – a city in which he never lived, but dreamed of settling down with his family after the victory.

Read also: “The worst dream came true”: the story of a soldier who got out of a burning tank