Oleksii Oleksandrovych Kovalenko

Oleksii Oleksandrovych Kovalenko (; 8 February 1981 – 22 March 2022) was a major, a first class pilot of a frontline bomber Su-24M, and the head of the flight safety service of the 7th Tactical Aviation Brigade of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He distinguished himself during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine in 2023.

Biography He was born in the village of Malokaterynivka in Zaporizhzhia region and was raised by his grandmother, as his mother died young of cancer.

In 2003, he graduated from the Kharkiv National Air Force University of Ukraine with a degree in "aircraft flight exploitation and combat application".

Kovalenko received numerous awards for his high performance and professional skills. Together with his navigator, they won several times as the best crew at the aviation training events.

During the full-scale Russian invasion, he defended the skies of Kyiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, and made more than 12 combat flights. The Order For Courage of the II degree (7 July 2022, posthumously) – for personal bravery and selfless actions demonstrated in defense of the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, faithfulness to the military oath. The Order For Courage of the III degree (25 March 2022) – for personal bravery and selfless actions demonstrated in defense of the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, faithfulness to the military oath.

Honoring In the courtyard of the family's home in the aviation town where his family live, Oleksiy's wife installed a memorial bench with his name and set up a gazebo.

Family He is survived by his wife and two children – a son and a daughter.