The War Museum held a memorial event dedicated to Colonel Valentyn Korenchuk (“Beekeeper”) — a Squadron Commander of the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade and one of those whose valor in the early days of the full-scale invasion forged the legend of the “Ghost of Kyiv.”
The event was part of the “War Heroes” project, a Museum initiative focused on documenting the testimonies of defenders and their families to preserve their memory for future generations.
Valentyn Korenchuk was born into an officer’s family. His life’s path was not simple: studying at the Ivan Kozhedub Kharkiv National Air Force University, his first flights, service in an aviation brigade, and a painful farewell to the skies due to personnel downsizing. This was followed by ten years in the IT sector, which served more as a “waiting mode,” as his dream of the cockpit never faded. In 2013, he returned to service, and a year later, he was already defending the country as a participant in the Anti-Terrorist Operation Zone (ATO Zone).
On February 24, 2022, the officer achieved the impossible: in the skies over Kyiv, risking his life for the sake of civilians, he did not fire a single missile. Instead, through masterful low-altitude piloting, he literally “pressed” an enemy Su-25 to the ground. This was the first victory in the history of Ukraine achieved without a single shot—a pure triumph of will and skill.
It was he and his brothers-in-arms from the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade who gave rise to the phenomenon of the “Ghost of Kyiv.” During the darkest days of February 2022, Valentyn’s valor transformed an urban legend into a steel shield over the capital.
On April 27, 2024, while performing a combat mission to cover the airspace, Valentyn Korenchuk took his final flight, remaining in the sky forever...
The Hero’s wife, Olena Korenchuk, shared warm memories at the event. “Valentyn always had an extraordinary love for his work that bordered on self-sacrifice. His sincere patriotism was never for show—it was a deep feeling that helped him overcome the most difficult trials,” said Mrs. Olena, unable to hold back her emotions.
Deputy Director General of the Museum, Dmytro Hainetdinov, expressed his sincere gratitude to Olena Korenchuk for her strength and courage in revisiting these painful pages of memory. He emphasized that Valentyn’s life story, entrusted to the Museum by his family, is an invaluable contribution to preserving the truth about this war.
An atmosphere of true brotherhood prevailed at the event: experienced pilots stood alongside students from the Kyiv Aviation Institute National University. The pilot’s life journey served as a living example of resilience, patriotism, and professional sacrifice for the youth.
Glory to Ukraine! Eternal memory to the Hero!
