President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded the Head of State's "Cross of Combat Merit" to Ukrainian warriors who proved themselves in the defense of the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
The award ceremony took place in the session hall of the Verkhovna Rada during the solemn part of the plenary session on the occasion of the Day of Ukrainian Statehood.
“When today, on this Day of Ukrainian Statehood, here, in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, before the eyes of the entire Ukrainian people, I will honor strong people for strong deeds with the Cross of Combat Merit, I want all Ukrainians to feel: we are behind those who defend our country on the battlefield, and behind our backs - the backs of millions of Ukrainians living now - there are those who have been creating Ukrainian history, Ukrainian culture and Ukrainian character for centuries,” the President said.
“We must be worthy of the height of our people, all its generations, and the thousand-year weight of our statehood,” the President emphasized.