Ukrainians Have Withstood Dozens of Attempts at Conquest; Ukraine Will Endure Now as well Against Russia – President During the Events on the Occasion of Ukraine’s Defenders Day

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On the occasion of the Day of Defenders of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented state awards to warriors, handed over battle flags to brigade commanders, as well as the honorary distinction ribbons "For Courage and Bravery" and ribbons bearing honorary names. In the presence of the Head of State, cadets of military lyceums took the Lyceum Cadet Oath.

The event was also attended by leaders of Ukraine's Security and Defense Forces, Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko, Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak and his deputies, Denmark's Minister for European Affairs Marie Bjerre, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, and representatives of diplomatic missions of foreign states and international organizations.

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Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that today is the day of millions - those who dedicate their lives to Ukraine, who did not fear and did not betray, who dream of ending the war and act so that peace may come sooner.

"Ukrainians are not defending themselves against Russia for the first time - but now, they are doing it with the longest range, with the greatest effectiveness. And now we must defend ourselves in such a way that our children - all our children, all future generations - are guaranteed freedom from war, from terror, from strikes, from any threats," the President stressed.

He announced that on the eve of the holiday, he signed decrees awarding state honors to more than 1,600 Ukrainians from the Armed Forces, the National Guard, intelligence and communication services, the Security Service of Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service, the combat units of the National Police of Ukraine, and the State Emergency Service. According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, almost 124,000 Ukrainians have been decorated for their service in the defense of Ukraine.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged everyone to always remember the price of Ukraine's defense. Those present honored with a moment of silence the memory of all heroes of different times who fought for Ukraine, strengthened the Ukrainian state, and gave their lives for it.

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The Head of State presented the Orders of the Golden Star to the families of fallen Heroes of Ukraine. The highest award was bestowed on:

Lieutenant Semen Kramskyi. He took part in battles near Huliaipole, Lysychansk, and Sviatohirsk. In September last year, under his command, a unit regained positions at a mine near the village of Vodyane. Despite constant shelling, Semen Kramskyi led the defense of the mine. On September 22, he was wounded but refused evacuation and continued to command the battle. Despite the retreat, the enemy focused fire on the positions. Semen Kramskyi was killed in one of the strikes.

Senior Sailor Andrii Levchenko. In April 2022, he delivered ten NLAW systems by boat to brothers-in-arms in temporarily occupied Oleksandrivka and evacuated ten wounded servicemembers under fire. In 2023, he fought in the Kherson region: destroying enemy positions, transporting assault and reconnaissance units, and evacuating over 50 civilians from occupation. On August 7, 2023, while evacuating the wounded, his boat came under fire and hit a mine during a maneuver. Andrii Levchenko was killed but managed to save his wounded brothers-in-arms, who reached the shore and received medical aid.

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The President personally presented the Golden Stars of the Hero of Ukraine to four defenders. Among them are:

Senior Soldier (reserve) Serhii Honchar. From the first days of the full-scale Russian invasion, he defended Ukraine in the Zhytomyr, Kharkiv, and Luhansk regions. In December last year alone, in rifle battles, he eliminated more than 40 occupiers. Despite wounds and injuries, he repelled multiple enemy attacks. For four days in a row, he defended a strongpoint on his own, wounded in the chest and receiving only support from fire units, UAV operators, and mortar crews.

Junior Lieutenant Dmytro Yeletskyi. Commander of a UAV systems company. He liberated the territories in the Kharkiv, Luhansk, and Donetsk regions. His actions resulted in the elimination of at least 230 occupiers, with more than 230 wounded, and the destruction of a T-72 tank, an IFV, eight howitzers, and a mortar battery. In 2024-2025, in the Kursk region, he provided reconnaissance, fire correction, and cover for assault and defensive operations.

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Senior Lieutenant Denys Tkalych (National Guard, Azov). Using a drone and a grenade launcher, he repeatedly hit enemy equipment and eliminated occupiers. In May, during the clearing of the village of Petrivka in the Donetsk region, his unit liberated 70 houses. Denys Tkalych personally destroyed 16 enemies. The mission was accomplished without casualties among his personnel.

Commander of the Special Purpose Battalion Donbas, Lieutenant Colonel Mykola Shevchuk (National Guard, Khartiia). Last year he led an operation to hold positions and repeatedly organized the repelling of enemy assaults. From April 2024 to February 2025, Mykola Shevchuk's unit eliminated more than 380 and wounded over 420 occupiers, captured six Russian soldiers, destroyed more than 550 FPV drones, 18 other UAVs of various modifications, nine trucks, three IFVs, and one flamethrower system.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy also presented the "Cross of Military Merit" awards to the families of fallen servicemembers. Posthumously awarded were:

Sergeant Vladyslav Rybnyi. In February last year near the village of Krynychne in the Donetsk region, together with his unit he held a position, preventing Ukrainian units from encirclement in Avdiivka and saving many lives. As a unit commander, he organized the defense and coordinated fire. During a battle lasting several days, he personally destroyed three APCs, four IFVs, and 28 occupiers. After contact with his position was lost, Vladyslav Rybnyi was considered missing in action. His body was returned during a prisoner exchange.

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Soldier Serhii Shchoholev. Since May 2023, he had carried out missions near the village of Spirne, Donetsk region. He destroyed three IFVs and 38 occupiers, contributed to the destruction of an enemy T-72 tank. At the end of that same year, using small arms, he shot down an enemy FPV drone carrying a munition that was approaching a neighboring dugout. He repeatedly aided his brothers-in-arms under fire. On April 1, 2024, in battle, he eliminated seven Russian soldiers but was fatally wounded in a mortar strike.

The Head of State also presented the "Cross of Military Merit" awards to four defenders. The recipients were:

Senior Soldier Mykola Ivanenko. He repelled enemy attempts to cross the Siverskyi Donets-Donbas canal. Since January 1, this year, he had held his firing position for 87 consecutive days, 16 of them alone. Despite wounds and gas poisoning, he continued to inflict losses on the enemy and repelled assaults. Mykola Ivanenko was evacuated only on March 28.

Major Roman Kasianchuk. In February-March this year, he organized the defense against assaults in the Donetsk region, including in the area of Kostiantynopil, where one of the most important battles took place: one hundred Russian infantry supported by tanks, IFVs, and heavy artillery attempted to break through - unsuccessfully. Overall, under his command, more than ten enemy vehicles and about one hundred occupiers were destroyed.

Junior Sergeant Oleksii Kondrashov. He defended Ukraine in the Kherson, Donetsk, and Kharkiv regions. Between February 25-28 this year alone, as part of a strike UAV crew, he destroyed an MLRS, an IFV, six vehicles, two motorcycles with infantry, and a buggy moving towards Ukrainian defensive positions.

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Lieutenant Colonel Yaroslav Onushkevych. He took part in the Anti-Terrorist Operation in 2014-2015. After the full-scale invasion, he carried out missions in the Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Kharkiv, and Donetsk regions. Last year he took command of the 2nd self-propelled artillery battalion, equipped with Archer and Bohdana self-propelled howitzers, which in a year completed over 4,100 fire missions against enemy personnel and equipment.

The President also decorated defenders with the Orders of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, I and III class, and the Orders "For Courage" II and III class.

In addition, the Head of State handed over battle flags to the commanders of the 152nd Separate Jaeger Brigade, the 47th Separate Artillery Brigade, the 20th Brigade of Operational Assignment "Lubart" of the National Guard, the 14th Separate Regiment of Unmanned Aviation Systems, the 1020th Anti-Aircraft Missile and Artillery Regiment, the 55th Separate Communication Regiment, and the 49th Separate Assault Battalion Carpathian Sich.

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The honorary distinction "For Courage and Bravery" was awarded to the 60th Separate Mechanized Inhulets Brigade, the 59th Separate Assault Brigade of Unmanned Systems named after Yakov Handziuk, the 1st Halytsko-Volynska Radio Technical Brigade, the Separate Artillery Brigade of the National Guard, and the 1st and 18th Marine Guard Detachments of the State Border Guard Service.

The President also presented commanders with ribbons bearing honorary titles: the 17th National Guard "Raid" Brigade was given the honorary name "Poltavska;" the 1039th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment - "named after General-Cornet Mykola Kapustiansky;" and the 17th Separate Electronic Warfare Battalion - "named after Kyrylo Trylovskyi."

On the square, cadets of the Ivan Bohun Military High School and the Yaroslav Kondratiev Kyiv Lyceum of Security and National Patriotic Education under the National Academy of Internal Affairs solemnly took the Lyceum Cadet Oath.