President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed decrees awarding the title Hero of Ukraine to members of the Defense and Security Forces. The Head of State also presented defenders with orders and medals and conferred military and special ranks.
Posthumously, the nation’s highest honor – the title Hero of Ukraine – was awarded to:
Sergeant Oleh Havrylutsa. Last year, he completed more than 15 foot missions along a life-threatening 8-kilometer route in the Pokrovsk direction, carrying more than 30 kg of ammunition and supplies and evacuating wounded brothers-in-arms. He personally eliminated over 50 occupiers and destroyed more than 20 pieces of enemy equipment. He assisted a severely wounded brother-in-arms and captured a Russian intelligence operative during a foot evacuation. Oleh Havrylutsa was killed on July 5, 2025, by an enemy FPV drone attack.
Junior Lieutenant Dmytro Demchenko. In April last year, during a clearance operation in the Udachne area of the Donetsk region, he was among the first to enter enemy positions, personally eliminating over 30 occupiers and destroying machine-gun crews, which enabled special forces to consolidate their positions. Later, he carried a severely wounded warrior to safety, eliminating an invader along the way, and returned to the front line with ammunition. Dmytro Demchenko was killed on May 12, 2025, while shielding a brother-in-arms from a mine explosion.
Junior Sergeant Andrii Lukashkov. As a squad commander, he carried out missions on the left bank of the Kherson region. He repeatedly detected and eliminated enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups, including capturing an occupier and obtaining key intelligence on enemy fire positions. He set mine traps for enemy vehicles, destroyed trucks carrying ammunition, and personally eliminated dozens of occupiers. In June last year, he covered the evacuation of wounded brothers-in-arms in a dangerous area. Andrii Lukashkov was killed by an enemy drone explosion in August 2025.
Soldier Valentyn Naraievskyi. He carried out combat missions defending Bakhmut and Avdiivka. In February 2024, he held the line under encirclement near the Avdiivka Coke Plant, where the enemy used chemical agents. He personally destroyed approximately a squad of infantry and saved wounded brothers-in-arms. Last year, he captured valuable documents and communication equipment for the SSU. Valentyn Naraievskyi was killed in March 2025 while repelling a Russian offensive.
Captain Vladyslav Seniuk. He exposed enemy intelligence networks, participated in detaining collaborationists, and completed missions during the Kursk operation. Under his command last year, 6 tanks, around 20 artillery systems, more than 50 units of equipment, and electronic warfare assets were destroyed, and over 230 occupiers were eliminated. Vladyslav Seniuk was killed on September 25, 2025, by a Russian kamikaze drone attack.
The President also signed decrees awarding the title Hero of Ukraine with the Order of the Golden Star to three warriors. The recipients are:
Senior Sergeant Vladyslav Zamura. He participated in the defense of Bakhmut, Klishchiivka, and Chasiv Yar. Since February 2025, he has operated the Vampire bomber, completing over 2,600 combat sorties: eliminating more than 500 occupiers, destroying 13 artillery systems, and blowing up 12 ammunition and fuel depots. He also conducted 400 logistical sorties to support front-line positions.
Junior Lieutenant Andrii Ishchenko. In September last year, he organized mine-laying operations in the Kharkiv region, thwarting a major enemy assault. Later, he coordinated the evacuation of civilians, covertly removed equipment without losses, and set up an ambush, capturing a truck loaded with ammunition and taking two occupiers prisoner. Overall, under his command, approximately 200 occupiers were eliminated, a significant amount of heavy equipment and over five tons of enemy ammunition were destroyed.
Colonel Oleksii Khilchenko. He has been engaged in combat in the Donetsk region since February 2025, in particular, evacuating wounded under heavy fire and returning to the front line. Over nine months of continuous fighting, Oleksii Khilchenko personally eliminated approximately a platoon of enemy personnel and 4 armored vehicles, while saving the lives of his brother-in-arms.
In addition, the President signed decrees conferring military and special ranks and awarding Ukrainian warriors with the Crosses of Military Merit, Orders of Merit, of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, For Courage, of Danylo Halytskyi, and various medals. Notably, the Order of Merit, III class, was awarded to Ukraine’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Ihor Klymenko.