Pavlo Ivanov, a Ukrainian Air Force pilot flying an F-16 fighter jet, was killed in action on Saturday, April 12, 2025, while carrying out a combat mission. The Air Force initially reported Ivanov’s age as 21, but later corrected it to 26.

The Ukrainian Air Force has not released specific details about the circumstances of Ivanov’s death. However, an interdepartmental commission has begun investigating the incident to determine the exact cause of the tragedy.

Ukrainian F-16 pilots regularly carry out complex and high-risk combat operations, providing air cover and striking enemy targets under extremely challenging conditions. Pavlo Ivanov was among those who pushed the limits of both human endurance and technical capability in defense of his homeland.

The Ukrainian military expressed its condolences to Ivanov’s family and honored his sacrifice, calling him a hero who gave his life in the fight against the occupying forces.