Hero Pilot Vitalii Markevych: A Ukrainian Defender’s Story
Discover the inspiring story of Ukrainian pilot Vitalii Markevych, who gave his life defending Ukraine. His wife Inna shares their journey and love.
Editor
YUSUF INAN – INTERVIEW
The Life Story of Hero Pilot Vitalii Markevych, Who Defended Ukraine
Yusuf Inan: Who is Inna Markevych? Could you please tell us a little about yourself?
Inna Markevych: My name is Inna. I am an officer in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a mother to a wonderful son, and the wife of Vitalii Markevych, who was killed on December 11, 2022, in the Donetsk region.
Yusuf Inan: Tell us about your husband, Vitalii Viktorovych Markevych.
Inna Markevych: Vitalii was born on July 1, 1995, in the city of Novyi Kalyniv, Lviv region, where he studied and lived. After completing the 9th grade, he entered a vocational school. When the Anti-Terrorist Operation began in 2014, he signed a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine and took part in defending the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine in the Donetsk and Luhansk directions.
During one of his rotations, he was encouraged to pursue further education and become an officer. In 2015, he entered the Ivan Kozhedub National Air Force University in Kharkiv, majoring in Aviation Transport. After graduating, he passed the flight medical examination and was assigned to the 12th Separate Army Aviation Brigade named after General Viktor Pavlenko as a flight engineer. He served there for only two years.
He was the best husband, father, and son — always smiling, cheerful, and full of life. He was, is, and will forever remain our Hero. We miss him terribly. I often asked him to find a safer position, but he would always reply: “If everyone hides, who will fly?”
But you know… those who hid are alive today. Their children still have fathers, their wives have husbands, and their parents still have sons. My Vitalii is gone…
Yusuf Inan: Where and how did your husband die?
Inna Markevych: My husband died in Kostyantynivka, Donetsk region. On December 11, 2022, a Russian MiG-31 fighter intercepted and shot down their helicopter with an air-to-air missile. The entire crew was killed — Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Fedorov, pilot-navigator Vladyslav Levchuk, and my husband, flight engineer Vitalii Markevych.
Yusuf Inan: Who informed you about your husband’s death?
Inna Markevych: Since we studied together at the university, my classmates began calling me, asking, “Where is Markevych?” It was strange, so I tried calling him — but his phone was off. Later, I learned that a helicopter had been shot down, but there were no details. I called his colleagues at the base where he was on duty — at that time, no one knew anything or didn’t want to say. I believed he was alive and would never leave us. Eventually, his unit’s command called to offer condolences, but I still held onto hope...
Yusuf Inan: What did you feel at that moment?
Inna Markevych: I couldn’t believe it. Even now, I still can’t. I keep hoping it’s just a terrible dream — that I’ll wake up, and he’ll come home.
Yusuf Inan: Where is your husband buried?
Inna Markevych: He is buried in the cemetery of the village of Kalyniv, Lviv region.
Yusuf Inan: Did your husband expect Russia to invade Ukraine?
Inna Markevych: Vitalii sometimes mentioned hearing things at work, but he reassured me that everything would be fine — that it was just panic. Before his final rotation, I read him news about Bakhmut, and he told me: “It’s not as simple as they say. Many of our guys are dying there.” When I jokingly talked about a summer trip to our Crimea, he said: “This war will last a long time,” as if he knew something…
Yusuf Inan: What was your husband doing when the Russian invasion began?
Inna Markevych: February 24 was supposed to be the first day of his vacation. Our sleep was interrupted by a phone call — the war had begun. He quickly packed his things and rushed to the airfield to fulfill his duties.
Yusuf Inan: Is the area where you live now safe?
Inna Markevych: We live in the Lviv region. It’s relatively safe here, but everyone must understand — there is no completely safe place in Ukraine right now.
Yusuf Inan: How did you meet pilot Vitalii Markevych?
Inna Markevych: We studied the same major at the university but met only in our third year. His dimples and smile instantly captivated me — it was love at first sight.
Yusuf Inan: When did you get married?
Inna Markevych: We got married on October 12, 2019, during our fourth year as cadets in Kharkiv. We planned a wedding celebration for the summer of 2020 after graduation, but COVID-19 changed everything, and we had to cancel it.
Yusuf Inan: Could you tell us about your family?
Inna Markevych: We were an ordinary Ukrainian family with our dreams and plans. We had a perfect relationship — my husband was both my best friend and my greatest love. We have a little son, Mark, who recently turned two. In the future, we planned to have a daughter, Valeria — Vitalii really wanted that.
Yusuf Inan: You mentioned your son. Does he miss his father? Does he understand his absence?
Inna Markevych: Because of his age, he doesn’t fully understand that his father is gone, but he misses him deeply. Our home is full of photos, and sometimes he picks one up and kisses it. In those moments, my heart breaks into pieces.
Yusuf Inan: Have you seen your husband in your dreams?
Inna Markevych: Yes, I used to dream of him often — now it happens less frequently. Right after his death, he appeared in my dreams alive, reassuring me that he was fine and knocking on the door as if returning from a rotation. It’s incredibly hard to wake up from such dreams, knowing it will never happen again.
Yusuf Inan: Who attended your husband’s funeral?
Inna Markevych: The funeral felt like a blur to me. I remember very little from those days, but I know there were many people — comrades, friends, and classmates.
Yusuf Inan: How old was your husband when he died?
Inna Markevych: He was 27 years old.
Yusuf Inan: Do you have a message for the President of Ukraine, Mr. Zelenskyy?
Inna Markevych: I wish him strength to lead us to victory. I want everyone who died for Ukraine to have done so not in vain.
YUSUF İNAN / PEACE AT HOME, PEACE IN THE WORLD (*)
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(*) As Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey, once said, 'Peace at Home, Peace in the World.' This timeless principle serves as a guiding light for nations striving for harmony, coexistence, and global stability.
