Lviv Oblast bids farewell to Mi-24 crew that crashed during combat mission in December
Ukraine held farewells on Wednesday for four crew members of a Mi-24 helicopter from the 12th Separate Maj. Gen. Viktor Pavlenko Army Aviation Brigade, who were killed during a combat mission on December 17, 2025, the Lviv Oblast Military Administration reported.
The crew included:
- Oleksandr Shemet, 55, chief of air-fire and tactical training, Hero of Ukraine with the Order of the Golden Star, Order of Danylo Halytskyi and Order of Bohdan Khmelnytskyi III degree; buried in Lviv; from Koriukivka, Chernihiv Oblast.
- Dmytro Popadiuk, 28, onboard aviation technician of a helicopter flight; awarded the Order for Courage III degree; buried in his native village of Kalyniv, Sambir district.
- Ihor Tohanchyn, 56, senior aerial gunner of a helicopter flight; buried in his native village of Kornalovychi, Sambir district.
- Yaroslav Sachyk, 25, navigator-pilot of a helicopter flight; awarded the Order for Courage III degree; burial scheduled for February 19 in his hometown of Lutsk.
The helicopter crash occurred on December 18, 2025 during a combat task.