Hero of Ukraine, Colonel, (call sign MAGIC – translated from English means «magic». He was given this call sign for his virtuoso piloting style. Everyone who knew Vladislav personally says that he was truly magical – both on the ground and in the sky).
Born on June 17, 1993 in Luhansk region, grew up in the city of Kharkiv in a military family. His father was a pilot. He graduated from secondary school No. 155 in the city of Kharkiv. Vladislav lived in the city of Chuguiv during 2010-2012, and then from 2020 to March 2022.
Vladyslav dreamed of being a pilot since childhood, of conquering the sky. "My son constantly spent time with me at airfields, as a schoolboy I took him on a light-engine plane. He was so passionate about the sky! Then I created the Aviation Training Cadet Center for Vladyslav and his friends. The center is still functioning, many of today's heroes are its students. So when it came time to choose a higher educational institution, there was no question - only KHNUPS (Kharkiv National University of the Air Force named after I. Kozhedub). My life is closely connected with aviation, so we could discuss various professional moments for hours," Yuriy Pokusay shares his memories.
Vladislav studied at the D. Didyk Aviation Training Cadet Center, and then in 2012 he graduated from the I. Kozhedub Kharkiv National Air Force University. After completing his studies, having received the military rank of lieutenant, he was sent to serve in the 299th V. Nikiforov Tactical Aviation Brigade of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 2020, Vladislav returned to the city of Chuguiv and continued his service in the 203rd Training Aviation Brigade, which was stationed in the city of Chuguiv, as an instructor pilot.
Vladislav was forced to enter combat from the first day of the full-scale war. After the strikes on the Chuguiv airfield, he was able to bring the plane out of the attack. He asked to return to the combat brigade and later defended Ukraine as part of the 299th V. Nikiforov Tactical Aviation Brigade of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a pilot of the Su-25 attack aircraft.
From the beginning of the large-scale invasion, Vladyslav, together with his father, defended Ukraine: the son in a combat attack aircraft, the father in a civilian air patrol. «It happened that the launches against us were carried out almost simultaneously… «Well, did you collect all the missiles there?» – my son would ask jokingly, and I was only happy to see how businesslike he had grown. For some reason, I always confidently thought that everything would be fine with him… I became a father very early and, unfortunately, I lost my son very early.»", - says Yuriy Pokusay.
During the less than two years of the war, Vladislav Rykov flew 385 combat sorties, destroying at least 80 tanks, 65 armored vehicles, about 110 vehicles, about 65 fuel tankers, 18 command posts, and more than 1,300 enemy personnel.
«"Kharkiv region, Kyiv region, Donetsk region, Luhansk region. And enemy fighters and air defenses were hunting him. The man was saved by professionalism, stress resistance and a thirst for victory! The Russians were convinced that "aviation in Ukraine no longer exists!" But they were deeply mistaken. Vlad confidently burned the occupiers and their equipment!"« – the command notes.
«"I saw him as a future commander, in case I died. He covered me – and not only in the sky, he was always there, we solved all the problems together, communicated dozens of times a day… In fact, I will continue to communicate with him. Only now it will be only monologues. I often made the first combat mission after the loss of one of my comrades together with Vlad. A "flight of honor" so to speak… This time I will have to do it on my own, like many things in life… Without Vlad, we will switch to the F-16,", – says Rostyslav Lazarenko.
The pilot's father, Yuriy Pokusay, regrets that Ukrainian pilots will transfer to F-16s without Vlad: «"My son really dreamed of modern aircraft that would be able to better protect Ukraine"».
Vlad is survived by his wife, Rykova Anastasia Serhiivna, and a young daughter, Myroslava, born in 2016, and a guardian, named father Yuriy Pokusay. Vlad's commander, Rostyslav Lazarenko, said that he and Vlad had agreed that if one of them died, the other would take care of his family. «"Vlad loved his girls very much, for a year and a half since the beginning of the invasion he had practically not seen his family and was very upset about it. So he rented an apartment relatively close to the location of the unit and finally started hugging them more often. I know his wife well, I often played with his daughter. Now Vlad is gone and I am responsible for them, the promise must be kept."», – says Rostyslav Lazarenko.
Died on February 7, 2024 while performing a combat mission over the city of Kurakhove, Pokrovsky district, Donetsk region, during his 385th combat mission. His last mission was witnessed by the commander, Hero of Ukraine, Lieutenant Colonel Rostyslav Lazarenko: «It was a normal combat day. The morning of February 7, 2024. A typical task is to defeat the enemy with fire. Target analysis, discussion, preparation… Everything as usual… Vlad shook hands. Departure… He had 17 minutes left to live… In fact, you never feel it… For some reason, war takes away the most valuable things precisely at the moment when you are as calm as possible, when you think that the situation is more or less normal and this is a normal flight…»"- Lazarenko shared the events that unfolded in the sky. The commander was watching a pair of Ukrainian attack aircraft at the control point, he saw an enemy fighter. «"The R-37 missile, which the occupiers had not used for quite some time, left no chance. A split second... The host saw a missile hit the host's plane. And I saw it. Vlad didn't have time to say anything on the air."», – said Lazarenko. Commander Vlad was convinced: it was revenge. The day before, the Ukrainians had «poured» a lot on the enemy. «"Of course, until the last moment I hoped that Vlad, despite the low altitude, had somehow managed to eject, that he was alive, that we would pick him up now, and then we would discuss everything together for a long time... Vlad was very valuable to me. I decided a long time ago to protect him, at least to try. But how to protect him in a war?"» – the commander of the deceased pilot reproaches himself.
Lazarenko said that Vladislav Rykov had «covered his back» from the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Vladislav trained many pilots. «"He was the best pilot and commander I knew. He had my back from the beginning of the full-scale war both on the ground and in the air, he trained a large number of both combat pilots and leaders. For me, this is an extremely heavy loss, because during these almost two years of war, Vlad was always there and we solved all the problems together."», – wrote Rostyslav Lazarenko.
The pilot was buried on February 11, 2024 in Vinnytsia on the Alley of Glory, in "a city in which he never lived, but which is where he dreamed of settling with his family after victory," as his commander Rostyslav Lazarenko said.
Vladyslav Rykov was posthumously awarded the military rank of colonel and the highest title of Hero of Ukraine. Full cavalier of the orders "For Courage" (three times in 2022), full knight of the orders of Bohdan Khmelnytsky (three times: twice in 2022 and once in 2023), and also awarded the order of "St. George the Victorious". On April 1, 2024, the President of Ukraine transferred the order of "Golden Star" to his family.
On December 5, 2024, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy named the 203rd Training Aviation Brigade after Vladislav Rykov with the official name "203rd Training Aviation Brigade named after Vladislav Rykov of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.".
These chevrons and certificates of Vladyslav Rykov are in the Museum of the National Liberation Struggle of Ternopil Region.
DECREE OF THE PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE No. 117/2024
On awarding V. Rykov the title of Hero of Ukraine
For personal courage and heroism shown in the defense of the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, selfless service to the Ukrainian people, I decree:
To confer the title of Hero of Ukraine with the award of the Order of the Gold Star to Vladislav Mykolayovych RYKOV – Colonel (posthumously).
President of Ukraine V. ZELENSKYI
• Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, 1st degree (08/24/2023) — For personal courage and selfless actions shown in protecting the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, loyalty to the military oath
• Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, 2nd degree (23.11.2022) — For personal courage and selfless actions shown in protecting the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, loyalty to the military oath
• Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, III degree (08.08.2022) — For personal courage and selfless actions shown in protecting the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, loyalty to the military oath
• Order "For Courage" 1st degree (10.06.2022) - For personal courage and selfless actions shown in protecting the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, loyalty to the military oath
• Order "For Courage" II degree (05/18/2022) - For personal courage and selfless actions shown in protecting the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, loyalty to the military oath
• Order "For Courage" III degree (02.05.2022) - For personal courage and selfless actions shown in the defense of state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, loyalty to the military oath.
DECREE OF THE PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE No. 830/2024
On the assignment of the honorary title to the 203rd Training Aviation Brigade of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
In order to restore the historical traditions of the national army regarding the names of military units, taking into account the exemplary performance of the assigned tasks by the personnel of the 203rd Training Aviation Brigade of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, I decree:
1. To assign the 203rd Training Aviation Brigade of the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine the honorary name “named after Vladislav Rykov” and to henceforth call it the 203rd Training Aviation Brigade named after Vladislav Rykov of the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
2. This Decree shall enter into force on the date of its publication.
President of Ukraine V. ZELENSKYI
December 5, 2024
BY ORDER of the Head of the Chuguiv City Military Administration dated 04/25/2025 No. 429, Hero of Ukraine Colonel RYKOV Vladyslav Mykolayovych (call sign "MAGIC"), a pilot of a Su-25 attack aircraft of the 299th Tactical Aviation Brigade named after V. Nikiforov, was awarded the title "Honorary Citizen of the Chuguiv City Territorial Community" (posthumously).