Viktor Barkovskiy was born in Vladivostok on 28 November 1919 in a family of farmers.

From 1932, he lived in Sverdlovsk.

He worked as an instructor pilot in the VVS from 1940 and graduated from the Ulyanov military aviation school of pilots in 1941.

When the war started in June 1941, he served in the 591 IAP of the 36 IAP-PVO.
Between June 1941 and May 1942, he flew 96 combat missions.

On 20 May 1942, he intercepted a Ju 88 D (WNr.2632;TL+BL) while flying in an I-153. The German aircraft was out to photograph military targets in the city of Yel'tse in the Lipetsk region.
Barkovskiy attacked the Ju 88 over the city and forced it to abort its mission. He managed to set it on fire but it refused to crash and turned for the German lines. When his ammunition was finished, he rammed the bomber and perished.
The Ju 88 D was from 3.(F)/A.Gr. 10 and had taken off from Poltava. It was reported lost to unknown causes with the crew all reported missing; pilot Oberfeldwebel Kurt Steputat, observer Feldwebel Karl Maurer, wireless operator Feldwebel Helmut Franzke and air gunner Unteroffizier Rudi Schröder.

On 14 February 1943, Barkovskiy was posthumously awarded the Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union and the Order of Lenin.

He is buried in Yel’tse.

At the time of his death, Barkovskiy was credited with 1 biplane victory.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1942
2	20/05/42		1	Ju 88 (a)	Destroyed	I-153		Yel'tse area	591 IAP

Biplane victories: 1 destroyed.
TOTAL: 1 destroyed.
(a) Claimed in a “taran” ramming attack. Ju 88 D (WNr.2632;TL+BL) from 3.(F)/A.Gr. 10 lost.

Sources:
Aeroram
Deutsche Luftwaffe Losses & Claims -series - Michael Balss
Soviet Fighter Pilots 1936-1953 - Mikhail Bykov
Stalin's Eagles - Hans D. Seidl, 1998 Schiffer Publishing, ISBN 0-7643-0476-3 Stalin's Falcons - Tomas Polak and Christhoper Shores, 1999 Grub Street, London, ISBN 1-902304-01-2
Additional information kindly provided by Ondrej Repka.