Revolutionary Ivan Mihaylov

Ivan Mihaylov, known by pseudonyms including Vancho, Vanche, Balkanicus, Radko, Petar Delyan and others, was an important figure in the Bulgarian national liberation movement in Macedonia in the early twentieth century. He was a long-serving leader of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation (IMRO). His activities also included the murder of IMRO leader Todor Alexandrov in 1924.

After Todor Alexandrov's murder, Ivan Mihaylov was elected to IMRO's Central Committee and played an important role in the Gorna Dzhumaya events, which aimed at punitive action against the Macedonian Federative Organisation (MFO), a rival grouping to IMRO. He undertook a series of operations and attacks connected with political killings in Bulgaria and abroad. During this period he encouraged the tactic of individual terror.

Ivan Mihaylov supported the struggle against Soviet influence in the Macedonian liberation movement. He organised and participated in various attacks and operations against the Yugoslav and Greek authorities in Macedonia.

He continued to play an important role in the organisation after the defeat of its left wing in September 1924, gradually establishing himself as IMRO's de facto leader. Ivan Mihaylov occupied the leadership position during the later period of the inter-allied struggles in Bulgaria and continued his activities.