Grigoriy Kupcha was born in 1916.

He graduated from Voroshilovgrad flying school in 1936.

Starshina Kupcha took part in the short conflict over Lake Khasan against Japan in 1938, flying I-15bis in 48 IAP.

With 4./48 IAP, leitenant Kupcha took part in the Soviet-Finnish Winter War of 1939-1940, flying I-153s between February and March 1940.

When Germany attacked the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941, leitenant Kupcha served in 127 IAP. This regiment was equipped with Polikarpov I-153s.

Sometime during 1941 he was posted away from 127 IAP and in January 1942, he was posted to 161 IAP. This regiment was equipped with Yak-1s and operated on the North-Western Front.

On 19 March 1942, he didn’t did not return from a combat mission and was declared as MIA.

He was in captivity until 7 July 1942. The circumstances of his return has not been established and after a check-up, he was sent to penal infantry units and fought as part of the 1st front-line penal battalion of the Western Front.

From 10 November 1943, he served in 1 ZAP (as VRID navigator) of the Moscow Military District.

Kupcha ended the war with 1 biplane victory.

On 10 September 1946, he was convicted by the Military Tribunal of the Moscow Military District for treason and desertion, sentenced to 10 years in labour camp with a loss of rights for 5 years and deprivation of the military rank of kapitan.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1941
	22/06/41		1/?	Ju 87	Shared destroyed	Polikarpov I-153		Grodno area	127 IAP
	22/06/41		1/?	Ju 87	Shared destroyed	Polikarpov I-153		Grodno area	127 IAP
1	22/06/41		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Polikarpov I-153		Grodno area	127 IAP
	1942
	10/01/42		1/2	Ju 88	Shared destroyed	Yak-1		North-Western Front	161 IAP

Biplane victories: 1 and 2 shared destroyed.
TOTAL: 1 and 3 shared destroyed.

Sources:
All aces of Stalin 1936-1953 – Mikhail Bykov, 2014
Soviet Aces 1936-1953
Soviet Fighter Pilots 1936-1953 - Mikhail Bykov