On the occasion of Constitution Day of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented state awards to Ukrainian military personnel and civilians during ceremonial events on the grounds of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra.
The Head of State emphasized that 30 years ago, Ukrainians stopped living under the old and someone else’s law and began building their lives on new principles, the foremost of which is Ukraine’s right to be sovereign, indivisible, and independent.
“But any articles of the Constitution would remain only letters on paper without the millions of Ukrainians who are ready to defend our independence, their land, their rights and freedoms – and to do so in unity,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed.
The President noted that Ukrainians have demonstrated unity many times, and one such example was the joint effort of employees of the State Emergency Service, the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, and priests, who together saved relics after the Russian attack on June 15.
“This is symbolic. It is a manifestation of our maturity and, in particular, of our understanding of the Constitution of Ukraine, which gives Ukrainians our bearings. But from there, it is our people who fill it with meaning, who fill it with life – every day – and prove that the strength of Ukraine’s Fundamental Law lies not in the legal beauty of its articles, but in the true unity of Ukraine,” the Head of State noted.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine is strong when the state, the church, the military, the people, and the entire world that helps us for the sake of peace become one whole.
“This may not be written directly in Ukraine’s Constitution, but it certainly corresponds to the spirit of the law by which we are building our life in this difficult time. And it certainly corresponds to the bright ideas with which our fallen heroes, our heroic warriors, every man and woman who gave their lives so that our state may live defended Ukraine and independence,” the Head of State emphasized.
A moment of silence was observed to honor the memory of all those who died for Ukraine.
The Head of State presented the Orders of the Golden Star to the families of the fallen Heroes of Ukraine. The highest title was awarded posthumously to:
Sergeant Serhii Lazar. He took part in battles in the Mykolaiv, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions. Over three days in January 2023, the unit under his command destroyed about a platoon of Russian invaders. In October 2024, he reached an enemy position and found Russian radio stations, which were used to intercept the occupiers’ communications. On November 25, 2024, during an enemy assault, Serhii Lazar destroyed two occupiers but sustained a fatal wound. Thanks to his actions, his brothers-in-arms repelled the assault and held the position.
Captain Oleksandr Podvyshennyi. From January 2022 to January 2024, he carried out missions to protect the state border with Belarus. From March 2024, he commanded a combined company and led the defense for more than 75 days at positions near Krynky in the Kherson region. He was wounded but remained at the position and destroyed more than 10 occupiers in a firefight. Together with other servicemen, he evacuated five severely wounded brothers-in-arms. On May 30, 2024, he sustained a serious wound but continued to command the battle, during which he was killed.
The President honored the Heroes of Ukraine with the Orders of the Golden Star. The highest state award was presented to:
Sergeant Yehor Hlotov. Despite being wounded, he held defensive positions under constant enemy fire for more than 35 days. He personally destroyed about a platoon of occupiers, an infantry fighting vehicle, and a machine-gun crew. Together with his brothers-in-arms, he captured two enemies and ensured his group’s successful breakout from encirclement. After reaching Ukrainian-controlled lines, he reported precise information to the command about the occupiers’ positions, making it possible to adjust an artillery strike and inflict additional losses on the Russians.
Junior Sergeant Vasyl Kuts. In 2025, in the Donetsk region, an assault group under his command destroyed more than 40 occupiers and captured one. Last year, Vasyl Kuts led his group out of an enemy encirclement that had lasted more than two weeks. He evacuated fallen Ukrainian warriors.
Captain Serhii Khlystunov. From the first day of Russia’s full-scale aggression, he led a mobile group defending a strategically important route in the Odesa region, and just a week later commanded offensive operations in the Mykolaiv region. He took part in the 2023 counteroffensive operation. From the summer of 2024 to February 2025, he carried out offensive and defensive missions in the Donetsk region. During that time, together with his subordinates, he destroyed more than two dozen pieces of armored equipment and mortars and more than a hundred occupiers.
The President presented five warriors with the Cross of Military Merit. The award was received by:
Chief Sergeant Artem Zhuravel. He personally eliminated ten occupiers. Together with his brothers-in-arms, he captured two Russians, several radio stations, and the enemy’s personal documents. While moving troops to their positions, he destroyed two enemy attack drones and prevented any losses or injuries among the personnel. He provided aid to a wounded brother-in-arms and evacuated him from the battlefield, then returned to his firing position.
Soldier Roman Stasiuk. During reconnaissance, he detected enemy assault troops and destroyed them with an attack drone. Using small arms, he personally repelled an enemy assault, eliminated several occupiers, and later shot down two enemy FPV drones. After the battle, he provided aid to a wounded brother-in-arms. During another Russian assault, he independently took up position at a neighboring strongpoint, stopped the enemy with heavy fire, and eliminated three occupiers.
Chief Sergeant Andrii Shkurup. He led reconnaissance operations, infiltrated the enemy rear, and obtained information on the locations of enemy firing positions and the number of occupiers. Under heavy enemy fire, he organized successful operations to rescue wounded brothers-in-arms. From August to December 2025, during the defense of Myrnohrad, he ensured the destruction of 11 enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups and identified seven civilians who were directing Russian fire.
Senior Soldier Vitalii Iarovyi. Since February 2024, he has been carrying out combat missions and repelling enemy assaults in the Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kharkiv regions. In February of this year, he destroyed a Russian UAV that was attacking the group of warriors he led and helped evacuate two wounded soldiers from a neighboring dugout.
Junior Sergeant Oleksandr Voloshyn. For 37 days, he continuously commanded the defense of a firing position. He took part in evacuating wounded defenders. During one rotation, he was wounded in an FPV drone attack and provided aid to himself and a brother-in-arms, then led the unit out of the fire zone.
The Head of State also presented the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, III class, to Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Ihor Klymenko.
In addition, the President awarded the Orders “For Courage” and of Danylo Halytskyi, as well as the Medal “To the Defender of the Motherland,” to first responders and a police officer who took part in saving the Dormition Cathedral after the Russian strike on June 15.
The Medal “For Military Service to Ukraine” was awarded to chaplain Vasyl Fedorenko, who took part in the battles in Mariupol and defended Azovstal, where he also baptized Ukrainian warriors. The occupiers held him in captivity for more than three years. He endured torture, “corridors of death,” and hunger. Vasyl Fedorenko was brought home from captivity on June 14, 2025.
The Medal “For Saved Life” was awarded to Karina Oleinik, a student at the Vinnytsia D. K. Zabolotnyi Medical Professional College, who helped those wounded in Russia’s attack on Vinnytsia this March.
The President also presented awards to clergy, actors, athletes, and journalists, and conferred honorary titles.
The Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, V class, was awarded to the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Epiphanius. With the support of the Primate of the OCU, charitable, social assistance, youth support, frontline community support, and chaplaincy development projects are being carried out in Ukraine. Metropolitan Epiphanius is making a personal contribution to the revival of Ukrainian spirituality and has carried out fruitful charitable and peacebuilding work for many years.
The Order of Merit, III class, was awarded to Liudmyla Luzan, a multi-time champion and medalist at world and European canoe sprint championships. In June of this year, at the European Championships in Portugal, she set a unique record by winning four gold medals at one tournament. She holds numerous awards, including gold at the 2026 World Cup stage in Szeged, where she also set a competition record.
The National Legend of Ukraine award was presented to Andriy Tsaplienko, a war correspondent for the 1+1 TV channel, writer, and screenwriter. For more than 25 years, he has reported from hotspots in various countries around the world, including Iraq, Liberia, and Afghanistan. Since the beginning of 2014, Andriy Tsaplienko has been covering Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. In March 2022, he was wounded during the shelling of a humanitarian corridor in the Chernihiv region.
