Born on June 12, 2001 in the city of Chuguiv. His childhood was spent in Osynivka, in a picturesque district of the city near the Siverskyi Donets River. He studied the first three grades at Chuguiv comprehensive school No. 3, and grades 4-6 at comprehensive school No. 7.
In 2012, the family moved to the city of Kharkiv, and he finished grades 6-9 at Kharkiv Specialized School No. 155 (now Kharkiv Lyceum No. 155) and lived in the "Sonyachny" neighborhood in the Industrial District of Kharkiv.
His dream was to become a train driver on the railway. He even made attempts to become a railwayman, but due to his health, his dream remained unfulfilled, and therefore, together with his older brother, he studied in 2016-2019 at the Chuguyiv Regional Center for Vocational Education of the Kharkiv Region (at that time, the Chuguyiv Professional Lyceum), where he received the profession of "Confectioner-Chef". Teachers of the vocational (vocational and technical) education institution "Chuguyiv Regional Center for Vocational Education of the Kharkiv Region" remember Igor as a cheerful, calm and sincere guy. He left bright and kind memories in the hearts of everyone who knew him! After graduating, he worked as a loader in a supermarket.
From his mother's memories: "When a full-scale war began in 2022, Igor did not look for excuses, but simply said, "Who, if not me?" and volunteered to defend the country. It was his conscious choice." On March 10, 2022, he voluntarily went to serve through the Novobavarsky RTCC and the Joint Venture of the city of Kharkiv.
Initially, he served as part of the 113th separate brigade of the Ukrainian Air Defense Forces. In 2023, he received the status of a combat participant. Later, Igor expressed a desire to further defend Ukraine as an operator of unmanned aerial systems. He studied for some time at the 151st training center of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Having made this choice, Igor realized that this military profession is very risky, because «drone operators» are usually on a position or in close proximity to the line of combat contact. After all, for the enemy, a drone pilot is the number one target, since it is he who provides the «eyes» on the battlefield. While training near the settlement of Peresichne, Solonytsivska community, Kharkiv district, Kharkiv region, in July 2024, while providing practical training, he was seriously injured (mine and explosive injury) and underwent treatment in the city of Kharkiv.
After treatment and passing a medical commission, he was appointed to the position of unmanned aerial vehicle operator in the 128th separate heavy mechanized brigade "Dyke Pole". In February-March 2026, the brigade's units held the defense in the South-Slobozhansky direction, repelling enemy assaults in the directions of the settlements of Vovchansk, Prylipka, Zybyne, Mala Vovcha and Okhrimivka. The situation around the village of Grafske was part of a broader enemy attempt to bypass Vovchansk and break through to the settlements of Symynivka and Bily Kolodyaz. Regular assaults and active use of drones were also recorded in neighboring areas (Vovchanski Khutory, Zybyne, Prylipka).
Circumstances of death:
From February 22, 2026, Igor and his brother were on a combat mission near the village of Grafske, Vovchansky district, Kharkiv region, in the immediate vicinity of the line of combat contact. The enemy tracked the "bird" control signal and on March 4, 2026, launched a pinpoint strike on the location of the operators. Landmines and grenades were dropped on the dugout. The bodies of the soldiers were covered with earth. Since communication with them was interrupted, and it was extremely difficult to get to the position, the brothers were able to reach them only on March 7, 2026. Arriving at the place, the group that went to search for them found a broken dugout and burned bodies. Igor's body was among the bodies found. He was taken to the morgue of the city of Kharkiv, and on March 23, 2026, Igor Kern was buried with full military honors on the Alley of Glory of Cemetery No. 18 in the city of Kharkiv.
The deceased soldier is survived by his mother and older brother.
