On the Day of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated the defenders on their holiday and presented them with state awards.
The Head of State called it true heroism that our Air Force warriors had to confront the larger Russian air fleet. In almost two and a half years of this war, Ukrainian pilots have already flown 22,000 combat missions.
"Ukrainians have proven that they can shoot down even those Russian missiles, including ballistic ones, which for a long time were said to be beyond the reach of the skies' defenders. Ukrainians have proven that they are capable of keeping the Ukrainian skies clear from the enemy and protecting the lives of our people, our cities and villages from Russian terror," Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.
The President urged everyone in Ukraine to remember what heroism means, what kind of risk and what kind of courage it is.
The audience honored the memory of all our warriors, who gave their lives for the sake of Ukraine, with a minute of silence.
The Head of State presented the Order of the Golden Star to the wife of the fallen Hero of Ukraine, Lieutenant Colonel Denys Vasyliuk. Between March 2022 and May 2024, he carried out 94 sorties: he destroyed UAVs and cruise missiles, weapons, aircraft and military equipment of the Russian occupiers on the ground, in particular, he launched air strikes on targets on Zmiinyi Island. On May 17 this year, when Lieutenant Colonel Denys Vasyliuk was attacking the enemy in the Kharkiv direction, an enemy missile hit his plane. At the cost of his own life, he destroyed all the assigned targets and saved his brothers-in-arms at the forefront of defense.
The President also awarded the Order of the Golden Star with the title of Hero of Ukraine to Major Dmytro Samofalov. Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, he has carried out 358 sorties. In particular, he destroyed 245 Russian occupiers, 26 tanks, 79 APCs, 134 IFVs and other military equipment, as well as ammunition and fuel depots, strongholds and command-and-control posts, a crossing and a road bridge.
Two warriors were awarded the Crosses of Military Merit:
Major Ivan Yefremov. He has carried out 300 sorties since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. This year alone, he destroyed about 10 tanks, 12 armored and 6 motorized vehicles and 200 Russian occupiers. As chief of intelligence, he calculated all possible consequences of air strikes in advance to inflict maximum losses on the enemy and save the lives of his subordinates.
Colonel Anatolii Udovenko. He organized the effective use of anti-aircraft missile battalions equipped with S-300V1 and Hawk anti-aircraft missile systems. Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, the anti-aircraft missile regiment under his command has destroyed 11 Russian aircraft, 21 helicopters, 83 reconnaissance and attack UAVs and 23 cruise missiles.
The Head of State also awarded the defenders with the Orders of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, II and III classes, "For Courage" I, II and III classes, and medals "For Military Service".
The President presented combat flags to the 225th anti-aircraft missile regiment of the East Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the 36th separate aviation squadron of unmanned aviation of the 383rd separate brigade of unmanned aviation of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy conferred honorary names: the 208th anti-aircraft missile brigade of the Air Force of the AFU was named the Kherson Brigade, the 831st tactical aviation brigade of the Air Force of the AFU was named the Myrhorod Brigade, the 14th anti-aircraft missile regiment of the Air Force of the AFU was named the Uman Regiment, the 101st separate regiment of communications and radio technical support of the Air Force of the AFU was named the Vinnytsia Regiment, and the 57th separate regiment of communications and radio technical support of the Air Force of the AFU was named after Hetman Ivan Sulyma.
The President also conferred the military rank of Brigadier General on the Chief of the Anti-Aircraft Missile Troops – Head of the Department of Training of the Anti-Aircraft Missile Troops of the Training Command of the Air Force of the AFU Vitalii Palahuta.
