Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented the Orders of the Golden Star to the servicemen who had been awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine and to the families of the fallen Heroes, he also handed the Cross of Military Merit decorations.
The Head of State emphasized that Ukraine continues to honor the bravery of Ukrainian warriors who defend their homes from the enemy.
"The world has chosen to stand with Ukraine because Ukraine is fighting on its own and is doing it with real bravery. Today we are presenting the highest awards of our country, and the highest honorary military decorations to the people who are the source of this bravery, who liberated our land, defended Ukrainian positions, saved their brothers-in-arms, and eliminated the occupier. We are honoring people who deserve the all-Ukrainian gratitude," the President said.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the families of Ukrainian Heroes for the brave sons and daughters of Ukraine, as well as the sergeants and officers who care about their soldiers.
“I ask you to remember every one of those who gave their lives fighting for Ukraine,” the President noted.
The participants honored the memory of the fallen defenders of Ukraine with a moment of silence.
The Head of State handed the Order of the Golden Star to the families of the fallen Heroes. The highest state award was conferred on:
Senior Lieutenant Fares Nedal Al Shami. The unit he led carried out attack and assault operations to liberate Bucha and Hostomel. The Senior Lieutenant personally destroyed three BMD vehicles of the Russian invaders. He also performed combat missions to break the siege of Kharkiv. On May 12, 2022, he was killed in action during an attack by a sabotage and reconnaissance group.
Junior Sergeant Dmytro Granchar. He covered units in the Zaporizhzhia region and participated in battles in the Mykolaiv region and assault operations in the Kherson region. On October 7, 2022, the crew of his tank was ambushed by the enemy and engaged in combat. The crew managed to destroy an armored personnel carrier and an infantry fighting vehicle, but the tank commander Dmytro Granchar was killed by a shell hit.
Junior Sergeant Nazar Nebozhynskyi. On March 30, 2022, during an assault in the Chernihiv region, he was ambushed by three infantry fighting vehicles. Nazar Nebozhynskyi covered the infantry units with his fighting vehicle and destroyed all three Russian infantry fighting vehicles and their crews. This saved all the personnel, but the Junior Sergeant was killed by the last shot.
Senior Sergeant Ivan Pavlyshyn. He has participated in the war since 2014. While performing a combat mission on the outskirts of Bakhmut, he destroyed an observation post of the Russian occupiers, enabling the infantry to take over the enemy's positions. But he was killed during the shelling by the Russian invaders.
Senior Lieutenant Ruslan Prus. Last May, he embarked on a combat mission instead of his brother-in-arms, who was unable to do so due to health problems. During a battle near Bakhmut, he sustained fatal injuries as a result of shelling and was killed.
Lieutenant of the medical service Vladyslav Tytarenko. He provided assistance to wounded servicemen and thus saved hundreds of lives. On August 5, last year, the Russian occupiers launched an air strike on the frontline surgical unit. Vladyslav Tytarenko was killed at his combat post while helping the wounded.
Junior Lieutenant Oleh Fadieyenko. Last year, on July 1, during an assault on the outskirts of Klishchiivka, his unit blew up an ammunition depot and eliminated 17 occupiers. However, while retreating after completing a combat mission, the unit fell under fire. Oleh Fadieyenko sustained a fatal injury.
The Order of the Golden Star was also presented to:
Junior Sergeant Dmytro Kutsenko. He personally destroyed an enemy tank and an infantry fighting vehicle with their crews. Last March, during the shelling of a command-observation post of a mechanized company in Bakhmut by the Russian occupiers, five floors of a destroyed building fell on Dmytro Kutsenko, and two slabs trapped both of his legs.
Major Vladislav Kutsko. He led the units that secured the approaches to the road between Bakhmut and Chasiv Yar and held the defense in the Luhansk region. He planned an operation to destroy a large ammunition depot. The detonation killed 53 Russian occupiers.
Major Serhiy Khominich. He commanded the liberation of villages in the Kherson region and several communities in the Donetsk region. He took part in the forceful crossing of the Dnipro River near the village of Krynky, where the troops managed to create a foothold on the left bank of the river and take full control of the nearby islands.
The President honored ten Ukrainian defenders with the Cross of Military Merit decorations:
Senior Lieutenant Bohdan Byniuk. He reconnoitered behind the lines of the Russian invaders and planned and carried out assault and offensive actions in the Donetsk region. Last November, during a battle, he killed four invaders and captured eight others.
Sergeant Vladyslav Borschuk. In March 2022, he was wounded, but after treatment, he returned to the frontline, where he repeatedly repelled Russian assaults in the Donetsk region.
Major Ruslan Habinet. Last January, his unit prevented an enemy breakthrough on the road to Bakhmut, which was later named "The Road of Life."
Senior Soldier Dmytro Dovhan. He helped to evacuate his brothers-in-arms under the heavy mortar and tank fire and was wounded this January.
Major Vitaliy Kyrpych. In 2022, his unit timely detected several Russian air targets. This allowed them to destroy an Iskander-K missile and two X-101 missiles.
Sailor Artem Kuzmych. He participated in the assault on the positions of the Russian occupiers in the Kherson region but was wounded in January 2024.
Colonel of the State Border Guard Service Ihor Martyniuk. He joined the army in 1987 and has participated in the war since 2014. In February 2022, he took part in repelling the Russian army's attack in the Kyiv region.
Junior Sergeant Eduard Roshka. He went to the frontline from the very beginning of the full-scale invasion. As a member of the tank crew, he successfully conducts operations to destroy enemy positions.
Captain Yevheniy Skoryna. He participated in the defense of the Kyiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions. His actions in the course of the battles helped to capture a significant amount of tank and artillery ammunition.
Lieutenant Colonel Volodymyr Sosnin. The unit under his command carried out several successful operations in the Kharkiv and Luhansk regions, eliminated a lot of occupiers and enemy equipment, and gained a foothold in favorable positions.
