On the occasion of the Day of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented high state awards, battle flags, ribbons of the Presidential Honorary Award "For Courage and Bravery" and conferred honorary titles upon the brigades.
The ceremony, which took place at the Mariyinsky Palace in Kyiv, was also attended by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
"Today is the professional day of our Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This is the day of tens of thousands of extremely strong warriors, without whom it is simply impossible to imagine a reliable defense, who are always in very difficult areas of the front and whose bravery is always of strategic importance for Ukraine. This is the courage that affects not only a single battle for the sake of our state, but the entire battle for our independence," the President said in his speech.
The Head of State noted the high efficiency of interaction between the air assault brigades and other units of the Defense and Security Forces to protect Ukraine and destroy the occupiers.
"Both in 2014 and after February 24, the servicemen of the Air Assault Forces were among the most combat-ready and efficient in the Defense Forces," Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized and added that over 10 thousand servicemen of the Air Assault Forces were awarded state awards during the full-scale war.
The participants also observed a minute of silence to honor the feat of the Air Assault Forces servicemen who gave their lives for the sake of the Ukrainian state and people.
The President congratulated the military on their professional day and presented them with state awards.
"Today, on the Day of the Air Assault Forces, it is a special honor for me to present state awards to the paratroopers – soldiers, sergeants, officers – and to present combat units with battle flags, honorary titles and insignia. On behalf of all Ukrainians, I thank the entire staff of our Air Assault Forces and especially those commanders who take care of the lives of their soldiers, and I wish everyone strength and victory – the victory of Ukraine," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
In particular, the Head of State awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine and presented the Order of the Gold Star to Junior Sergeant of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Andriy Holovko. In February 2023, he prevented an enemy assault maneuver by detecting an enemy tank in a forested area and destroying it with a Javelin ATGM. Later, Andriy Holovko destroyed seven units of the occupiers' armored vehicles and the tank crew, disrupting the offensive and forcing the enemy to retreat.
The title of Hero of Ukraine and the Order of the Gold Star was also awarded to Senior Sergeant of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Andriy Vodopyanchuk. The commander of the air assault platoon repeatedly proved himself during the defense of settlements in Kharkiv and Donetsk regions. In particular, he led the personnel of assault units, destroyed enemy equipment and manpower, and provided first aid to his comrades. In October 2022, he was seriously wounded during close-up action and tank fire, but in January 2023, he returned to service and took over the training and coordination of young warriors. Later, he took an active part in repelling an offensive in the Serebrianka Forest.
The Head of State also handed over the orders to the family of the reconnaissance platoon's Chief Sergeant Ivan Bank, who was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine. Ivan Bank took part in the battles for the liberation of Kyiv and Kherson regions, conducted reconnaissance of enemy positions and firing points, destroying the occupiers' equipment. In September 2022, in Kherson region, the Chief Sergeant came under mortar fire and sustained multiple shrapnel wounds incompatible with life.
The family members of the fallen Hero of Ukraine, Junior Sergeant Dmytro Shkurov, who had been defending Ukraine since September 2021, also received the Gold Star from the President. He was a squad leader of an air assault platoon. In November 2022, he led a battle in Donetsk region and coordinated the unit's collective weapons. At night, between shelling, Dmytro Shkurov decided to move the bodies of his fallen brothers-in-arms to a neighboring position to preserve them. He carried five bodies of the warriors on his own, but when he returned for the next one, he hit an explosive device and was killed. Thanks to the efforts of the Junior Sergeant, the bodies of his brothers-in-arms were handed over to their families.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy also handed the order to the wife of Senior Sergeant Oleksandr Leunov, who was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine. In March 2022, in Kharkiv region, during the breakthrough of the occupiers' convoys, the Senior Sergeant at the head of the unit engaged in combat and destroyed enemy tanks and infantry fighting vehicles. This stopped the enemy's advance and prevented the encirclement of our troops. However, an enemy tank hit the BTR-80, with Oleksandr Leunov inside, and the sergeant sustained wounds incompatible with life.
In addition, Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented the Presidential Cross of Military Merit to Junior Sergeant Oleksandr Fisun, who has been defending the territorial integrity of Ukraine since February 24, 2022. He took part in defensive and assault operations and repulsed Russian assaults in Kharkiv, Luhansk, and Donetsk regions. He repeatedly performed the duties of the senior in the position of the unit and engaged in combat with enemy infantry, skillfully leading the actions of the personnel. He constantly participated in the evacuation of wounded servicemen, in particular, he personally carried the wounded for more than 5 kilometers across the field, thus saving the lives of the defenders.
The servicemen were also presented with the Orders of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, I-III classes, the Orders "For Courage", II and III classes, and the Order of Princess Olga, III class.
The Honorary Insignia of the President of Ukraine "For Courage and Bravery" was awarded to the 122nd separate airmobile battalion of the 81st separate airmobile brigade of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In order to recognize the high professionalism, military merit, courage and bravery of the personnel of the military units, Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented battle flags to the 82nd separate air assault brigade of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the 148th separate artillery brigade of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the 135th separate command and control battalion of the Air Assault Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The President also conferred honorary titles upon the brigades of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Thus, the 80th separate air assault brigade was awarded the honorary title "Halytska". The 81st separate airmobile brigade will bear the honorary title "Slobozhanska". The 95th separate air assault brigade was given the honorary title "Poliska" and the 79th separate air assault brigade was given the honorary title "Tavriyska".
Other participants of the event were Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Valerii Zaluzhny, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov, Commander of the Air Assault Forces Maksym Myrhorodskyi, Deputy Heads of the Presidential Office Roman Mashovets, Ihor Zhovkva and Andrii Sybiha, and Ambassador of Germany to Ukraine Martin Jaeger.