On Unity Day of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented state awards to the military and civilians.
The ceremony, which took place at the Mariyinsky Palace in Kyiv, was attended by medical workers, volunteers, servicemen, power engineers, and representatives of local authorities. The Head of State noted that he was honored to personally congratulate each of them on the Day of Unity of Ukraine.
"I would like to thank you for the fortitude, unity and strength that you have all shown since the very beginning of the Russian invasion. Thank you for having preserved our country. Thank you for having defended it. I personally and all our people are very grateful to you for this," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
The President wished all those present good health and victory over the Russian enemy.
"With people like you, victory is sure to come. With such mighty warriors who are on the frontline today. I would like to wish you, your children, your grandchildren, wives, husbands, brothers and sisters victory. This is probably the most important thing that keeps us all together today and for which we all live, work and fight," the Head of State added.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented the Presidential Cross of Military Merit to ten servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for personal courage and heroism in the defense of state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and selfless service to the Ukrainian people.
In particular, the award was received by: Sergeant Oleh Bernadskyi, who defends Ukraine in the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk sectors as part of an assault unit; Soldier Oleh Duzhenkyi, who repeatedly conducted reconnaissance behind enemy lines; Marine, Junior Sergeant Serhiy Kryklyvyi, who performed combat missions in Mykolaiv, Kherson and Donetsk regions; Lieutenant Colonel Serhiy Lytvynenko, commander of the anti-aircraft missile division of the South Command; Major Roman Stryzhobyk, who plans, organizes and ensures the fulfillment of combat missions in the Donetsk sector; Lieutenant Vadym Tymoshchuk, commander of an engineering-sapper company, who performs tasks in Zaporizhzhia region.
The President also presented the Cross of Military Merit to Senior Soldier Volodymyr Tymoshchuk, who commands a mobile firing group for air defense of the "Danube" operational grouping of troops; reconnaissance man, Junior Lieutenant Vitaliy Tulaydan, who performs combat missions in Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv regions; Master Sergeant Petro Fedunov, who repeatedly participated in the assault on the occupiers' positions, capturing Russian servicemen and evacuating wounded brothers-in-arms; patrol boat commander, Petty Officer 1st Class Oleksandr Chasovskyi.
In addition, for merits in strengthening Ukrainian statehood, courage and dedication in protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and a significant personal contribution to the development of various spheres of public life, conscientious performance of professional duties and on the occasion of the Day of Unity, Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented the Orders of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, III class, "For Merit", III class, "For Courage", III class, Princess Olga, I and III classes, medals "For Saved Life", "For Labor and Valor", and conferred the honorary title "Honored Doctor of Ukraine".
The award ceremony was also attended by Minister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umerov, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhny, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Serhiy Shaptala, Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak, his deputies Roman Mashovets and Oleksiy Kuleba, and Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov.
