"This young pilot is my husband": a woman revealed whom Ihor Bedzai saved at the cost of his own life
The story of Ihor Bedzai prompted Mykolaiv residents to reflect
On the social network Threads a story is gaining popularity about the Hero of Ukraine, naval aviation colonel Ihor Bedzai, in whose honor the former Chkalov Street in Mykolaiv was renamed. The post was published by a woman named Maria, whose family is directly connected to the legendary Ukrainian pilot’s final decision.
According to the author, before his last sortie the experienced colonel decided to replace a young pilot in the crew. That man had a child born shortly before.
“Every time I see or hear about Ihor Bedzai Street in Mykolaiv, the thought immediately comes to mind that at the last moment he took the place of a young pilot who had recently become a father and flew to Snake Island in his stead. And he did not return. That young pilot is my husband, and that child is our son. We are all immeasurably indebted to the Hero,” – Maria said.
According to official sources, Ihor Bedzai’s last flight took place on May 7, 2022. The colonel replaced a young pilot who had a child born in February and joined a search-and-rescue mission in the area of the Danube River estuary.
A naval Mi-14 helicopter was attacked by a Russian Su-30 fighter. Thanks to the Ukrainian pilot’s skill the crew managed to evade two cannon bursts, but after that the occupiers launched a guided R-73 missile. It struck the helicopter, on board which there were five Ukrainian servicemen.
A few years earlier Ihor Bedzai played a key role in saving Ukrainian naval aviation after the start of the Russian occupation of Crimea.
In March 2014, when Russian forces blockaded the airfield in Saky, he ordered Ukrainian aviation equipment to take off. Under conditions of complete radio silence it was possible to move 10 planes and helicopters to Mykolaiv.
Over the next five years Ihor Bedzai commanded a naval aviation brigade and took part in combat sorties during the ATO and JFO. In 2019 he was appointed deputy commander for aviation of the Ukrainian Naval Forces.
After his death, on May 11, 2022, Colonel Ihor Bedzai was posthumously awarded the title Hero of Ukraine with the Order of the “Golden Star”. Later the 10th Naval Aviation Brigade was named after him.
The former Chkalov Street in Mykolaiv was renamed Hero of Ukraine Ihor Bedzai Street in July 2024. Before that it had borne the name of the Soviet pilot Valery Chkalov for more than 80 years. Maria’s story had gathered over 19,000 reactions at the time of publication and continued to spread on Threads.
In the comments, residents of Mykolaiv, servicemen and people from other cities thanked the author for the story. Some confessed that they live on Ihor Bedzai Street but had not previously known the history of the person whose name they see on address plates every day:
“I’ve recently been living in Mykolaiv; I know that many streets there have been renamed, and every other person is against it. I am grateful to you for telling whom the renaming honors — perhaps if people knew, they would be less outraged. And many thanks to your husband for the defense! As well as to the fallen Hero, Mr. Ihor!” – wrote user olbi_cherson_ukraine.
