Let’s bow our heads. The boxer, who grew up in Italy, gave his life for Ukraine

Every day at 9 in the morning, Ukrainians honor the memory of people whose lives were taken by the Russian-Ukrainian war. Today, Sport.ua remembers the boxer and trainer Ihor Pashka, who grew up in Italy, returned to Ukraine and, when the need arose, stood up for the defense of his native land. Ihor died exactly two years ago, on November 7, 2023, at the age of 23.

Ihor Pashko was born on March 28, 2000 in Lviv. The boy spent his childhood and youth in Italy: he studied in high school, and later he studied mechanics at the lyceum of the city of Rezzato. Ihor devoted his free time to sports – trained, participated in competitions, and trained the younger generation of boxers.

After the start of the full-scale war, Pashko, who had already returned to Ukraine, joined the ranks of the Defense Forces. He served in the 14th brigade of the operational assignment named after Ivan Bohun “Red Viburnum” of the National Guard of Ukraine, defended the state in the Zaporizhzhia direction.

Ihor Pashko died while performing a combat mission on November 7, 2023.

The soldier is survived by his mother, father, two grandmothers and grandfather.

Lviv took Igor Pashko to his last journey only on July 2, 2025, when the remains of the body were identified. The soldier was buried on the Field of Mars of the Lychakiv cemetery.