On the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in World War II, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented the Orders of the Golden Star to the relatives of the fallen Heroes of Ukraine and awarded the warriors with the Cross of Military Merit decorations.
The Head of State began his speech at the ceremony with information about the massive night attack. The aggressor state of the Russian Federation launched almost 60 missiles and more than 20 “Shahed” drones aimed at civilian objects of Ukraine.
“This night, life itself was a target, just as it has been during hundreds of other similar nights and days of this war. For everyone in the world who truly sees the reality and has the courage not to close their eyes, it is obvious that the Russian state wages war not only against our Ukrainian independence, not only against our state, but against everything that ensures life for our state and people,” the President said.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that Russian Nazism will not be able to overcome the determination, bravery, and integrity of those who oppose evil, stop destruction and save people from elimination.
“May those whose courage and strength preserve life on Earth never fade from people's memory. May cooperation and law prevail, ensuring normal, peaceful coexistence of nations. And may the memory of everyone who fought for the sake of life and sacrificed the most precious thing — their lives — so that evil would not prevail on earth remain bright and eternal,” the Head of State emphasized.
The memory of the fallen defenders of Ukraine was honored with a minute of silence.
The President presented the Orders of the Golden Star to the families of the fallen Heroes. The title of Hero of Ukraine was posthumously awarded to:
Soldier Vasyl Hukalo. He took part in the clearing of the village of Blahodatne, the restoration of positions in the Serebryanka forestry, and the defense of Kreminna, he also repelled enemy attacks in Bakhmut. He eliminated 16 Russian invaders and organized the evacuation of the wounded across the Bakhmutka River under artillery fire. Vasyl Hukalo was killed last year on April 21 while performing a combat mission to organize new approaches.
Soldier Taras Dovhun. Last January, he was engaged in a continuous battle with the Russian occupiers for several days. He personally killed more than 15 invaders. Despite shrapnel wounds to his legs, he provided aid to himself and his brother-in-arms and kept fighting. During the evacuation of the troops to a safer place, the enemy carried out a massive mortar attack. Taras Dovhun sustained fatal injuries.
Lieutenant Andriy Zhovanyk. He covered more than a thousand kilometers in combat and participated in the liberation of Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, and Donetsk regions. He also led a special operation to liberate Chornobyl. His unit destroyed more than 30 pieces of equipment. On August 2, 2022, on the outskirts of Soledar, as a member of a group of UAV operators, he encountered an enemy subversive group. During the battle, one of the warriors was wounded. Andriy Zhovanyk tried to take him to a shelter and was fatally wounded himself.
Junior Sergeant Andriy Kotsyk. As part of an assault group, he destroyed 4 enemy IFVs and 20 infantrymen. He saved the lives of 5 wounded brothers-in-arms. He sustained a gunshot wound himself, but despite this, he eliminated 4 Russian occupiers and prevented the breakthrough of Ukrainian positions. Andriy Kotsyk was killed last year on February 4 during a heavy enemy artillery attack on the position captured by his group.
Senior Lieutenant Volodymyr Lobodiuk. He commanded a mortar platoon during the defense of Orikhiv in the Zaporizhzhia region and led the offensive in the Kherson direction. The mortar battery's fire enabled the breakthrough of the Russian occupiers' frontline in several communities of the Kherson region. He personally destroyed 3 Russian invaders in a battle with an enemy assault group on December 16, 2022, but sustained a fatal gunshot wound.
Captain Vladyslav Lonskyi. The unit under his command thwarted the Russian occupiers' crossing of the Siverskyi Donets River, destroyed 3 tanks and 2 IFVs, crossed the Oskil River, and gained a foothold on the left bank. Vladyslav Lonskyi died on September 19, 2022, during a massive tank attack on his positions.
Soldier Artur Pashkulyak. He participated in the defense of Kyiv and Bakhmut. His actions helped to destroy almost 3 combat groups of Wagnerites and to thwart a breakthrough attempt by about a company of militants. During the battle, he personally hit an APC-82 carrying infantry and personnel with an RPG. Artur Pashkulyak was killed last year on April 2, while repelling continuous assaults by the Russian occupiers.
Lieutenant Taras Chaika. In November 2022, during a combat mission, he got under heavy mortar fire while driving a vehicle and sustained a shrapnel wound. Despite this, Taras Chaika managed to take the vehicle and its crew out of the active firefight area and thus saved the lives of the wounded, but died himself.
Soldier Yuriy Shevchenko. He organized the evacuation of two seriously wounded warriors under heavy cannon and mortar fire. After that, together with other servicemen, he repelled 4 attacks by more than 40 Russian invaders. After all the defenders were killed, he stayed at the position alone and repelled one more attack, killing 7 occupiers. Yuriy Shevchenko enabled the approach of the battalion's reserves, but was killed in this battle.
Eight Ukrainian defenders were awarded with the Cross of Military Merit decorations:
Captain of the Medical Service Kateryna Bezrodnia. She led an evacuation team that walked 5 kilometers under enemy fire control and helped a seriously wounded serviceman. She also provided assistance to wounded warriors under heavy mortar fire.
Junior Sergeant Mykola Voroshylov. He was wounded in a small arms battle while helping his wounded brothers-in-arms. Mykola Voroshylov's actions helped to defend the combat position and saved the lives of the servicemen and the battalion's defense line.
Major Andriy-Vasyl Dziuba. On January 24 of this year, despite massive artillery shelling, he led an armored group and moved to the frontline. While repelling the assault, he killed 8 Russian invaders and wounded 2 more.
Major Vasyl Logush. During the Russian invaders' assault in the Donetsk region, he organized the defense and coordinated the work of artillery, causing the occupiers to suffer losses and retreat. The units under his command also recaptured 3 enemy positions.
Lieutenant Colonel Bohdan Mykhailiv. The artillery battery under his command destroyed 6 KAMAZ vehicles and ammunition, an APC with ammunition stack, and more than 27 Russian invaders, and also damaged 4 guns.
Captain Ihor Sierapionov. He took part in the JFO. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, he has commanded the operation of clearing several communities in the Donetsk region and organized successful offensives in the area of Vuhledar and Zaitseve.
Major Vladyslav Slominskyi. During this January, the battery's firing units under his command hit enemy firing positions, armored vehicles, FPV drone launch points and personnel near the village of Novomykhailivka in the Donetsk region three times. This forced the Russian occupiers to stop their assault actions.
Lieutenant Colonel Vladyslav Tsyba. On October 1, 2022, together with other units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, he joined the counteroffensive and led the personnel during the liberation of the city of Lyman. Thanks to Vladyslav Tsyba's command, Bilohorivka in the Luhansk region remains under the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine despite constant assaults.
