On the Day of Ukrainian Volunteer, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with warriors who stood up for Ukraine as part of various combat units. The Head of State presented high state awards to the military and relatives of the fallen defenders.
The ceremony took place in the White Hall of Heroes of Ukraine in the Mariyinsky Palace.
"Today is the Day of the Ukrainian Volunteer. It is the day of men and women whose lives and dedication to Ukraine largely determine our fate - each and every one of us. The fate of a free people. The fate of Ukraine, which will not submit to any invader," the Head of State said.
The President noted that thousands of Ukrainians stand up for our country when the enemy seeks to destroy it.
"When the world mistakenly does not expect strength from Ukrainians, millions of our people show such bravery that there is not a single corner in the world unaware of the strength of Ukraine left," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
As the Head of State emphasized, our nation has withstood wars and ordeals, overcome many challenges and preserved its freedom against all odds.
"Our opportunity to live, to build a free future for Ukrainian children is based on a solid foundation laid by the heroism of all those who were not afraid and who fought for the life of Ukraine," the President said.
The Head of State emphasized that Ukrainian volunteers are fighting for our country on the frontline every day as part of various combat units: in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, and other security and defense forces.
"Ukrainian volunteers teach, rescue, heal. Ukrainian volunteers volunteer. And they will certainly emerge victorious. February 24, year of 2014, the struggle for the freedom of Ukraine in the XX century, the liberation battles of earlier times - all this will be crowned with the victory of Ukraine, which we are bringing closer every day," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
The attendees honored the memory of all the warriors fallen for Ukraine with a moment of silence.
The Head of State presented the Gold Star Order to the mother of soldier Oleksandr Matsievskyi, who was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine. Oleksandr Matsievskyi voluntarily joined the territorial defense forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Since March 2022, he has participated in the defense of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, in particular in the city of Nizhyn, Chernihiv region, and the city of Bakhmut, Donetsk region. Last year in November, his unit's positions were attacked by the enemy near Soledar in Donetsk region. After that, Oleksandr Matsievskyi and his brothers-in-arms were reported missing.
After the exchange of bodies, Oleksandr Matsiyevskyi was identified and buried. Recently, a video of the Russians' execution of the soldier was posted on the Internet, which shows that Oleksandr Matsievskyi showed courage, bravery and loyalty to his homeland even in enemy captivity.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented the Gold Star Order to the wife and father of Junior Lieutenant Taras Bobanych. Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian aggression, he has been leading the 2nd separate battalion of the Right Sector in battles with the Russian aggressor in Kyiv and Chernihiv regions. In April 2022, as part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Taras Bobanych's units held back the enemy's offensive in Kharkiv region, repelling enemy attacks near the village of Sulyhivka and inflicting significant losses in manpower and equipment. In order to withdraw the personnel from enemy air and artillery strikes, Taras Bobanych made a decision to change positions, while he himself remained to provide fire cover for the unit's movement. He did not leave his position until the last moment, but as a result of the shelling, he got multiple shrapnel wounds incompatible with life.
The President also presented the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, III class, and the Order "For Courage", III class, medals "For Military Service to Ukraine" and "For Saved Life" to the servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, II class, Order "For Courage", III class, and medal "For Military Service to Ukraine" to the National Guard servicemen. In addition, medals "To the Defender of the Homeland" were awarded to officers of the National Police of Ukraine.
Receiving the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, III class, from the President, Junior Lieutenant of the medical service Alina Mykhailova handed over to the Head of State the combat chevron of the 1st separate mechanized battalion "Da Vinci Wolves" of the 67th separate mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Volunteer Corps, led by the fallen Hero of Ukraine, Junior Lieutenant Dmytro Kotsiubailo. Da Vinci fought with this chevron and was wearing it at the moment of his demise.
