Генерал-майорIhor Skybyuk is a career paratrooper. He was born on October 10, 1976, in Konotop, Sumy region. He began his military service in 1998 as a platoon commander in the 80th Air Assault Brigade. When Russia launched its military aggression against Ukraine in 2014, the 80th Air Assault Brigade was among the first Ukrainian units to enter combat. Skybyuk fought alongside his troops in some of the war’s fiercest battles, including Ilovaisk and Debaltseve.
He was wounded in 2014 but returned to active service after completing treatment and rehabilitation. In 2016, he commanded Ukrainian forces during the multinational Maple Arch 2016 military exercise.
In October 2018, Skybyuk was appointed chief of staff of the 95th Separate Air Assault Brigade.
In November 2021, he took command of his native 80th Air Assault Brigade, preparing it for what would soon become Russia’s full-scale invasion.
At the start of the invasion in February 2022, Skybyuk commanded the brigade as it helped stop the Russian advance in the Mykolaiv and Kherson regions. During Ukraine’s Kharkiv counteroffensive, the brigade also participated in the liberation of Izium. For his leadership, Skybyuk was awarded the title Hero of Ukraine.
Following the successes in the Kharkiv region, the 80th Air Assault Brigade returned to southern Ukraine, where it took part in the liberation of the Kherson region.
In November 2022, Skybyuk was appointed chief of staff and deputy commander of Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces. On February 11, 2024, he was appointed commander of the Air Assault Forces, replacing Maksym Myrhorodskyi.
Following Ukraine’s Kursk offensive and its failure to achieve the desired objectives, Oleksandr Syrskyi reportedly blamed Skybyuk for the outcome. It later emerged that Skybyuk had opposed launching the Kursk operation, believing it would be an inefficient use of resources.
On June 3, 2025, he was appointed deputy chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
