On Ukrainian Statehood Day and the Day of the Baptism of Kyivan Rus–Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented state awards to military personnel and civilians, handed passports to young Ukrainians, and conferred honorary titles.
The ceremony on Mykhailivska Square was also attended by First Lady Olena Zelenska and foreign guests: President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, President of Albania Bajram Begaj, President of Moldova Maia Sandu, President of Romania Nicușor Dan, Prime Minister of Slovenia Janez Janša, Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenković, representatives of Spain, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, and France, as well as the Pope's Special Envoy, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi.
The President noted that every achievement Ukraine has made, every Ukrainian technology, and every innovation exists thanks to our people – to those without whom Ukraine would not be Ukraine.
“Our people – who work for the sake of Ukraine every day and every night. Our cities. Our strong Kharkiv, which has proven that geographic proximity to Russia does not mean mental proximity. And every day, life prevails in Ukrainian Kharkiv. Our strong Dnipro, which never stops for a moment, traditionally drives our economy forward and saves thousands of our wounded heroic warriors. Our strong Odesa – our gateway to the sea, a glorious city on our Black Sea coast – which endured yet another brutal strike today. Russian missiles targeting ordinary homes. My condolences to all those who lost loved ones. Our strong Sumy, our Chernihiv, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Mykolaiv, which, despite everything, are holding firm, living, building, and educating our children,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed.
The Head of State thanked all Ukrainian defenders, all members of Ukraine's Security and Defense Forces, and every man and woman who defends our land, protects lives, upholds law and order in Ukraine, holds the front line, shields our skies, and fights the enemy every day and every night.
The President presented the Order of the Golden Star to the mother of fallen Hero of Ukraine Junior Sergeant Taras Shpuk – a warrior, former employee of the Come Back Alive Foundation, and longtime coach of Ukraine's Invictus Games and Warrior Games teams. In May 2025, together with his brothers-in-arms, he advanced nearly 250 kilometers into Russian territory to plant explosives on a railway bridge and later destroy it. The operation disrupted Russian military logistics and inflicted significant economic losses. Taras Shpuk was killed on September 17 of the same year during a combat mission behind enemy lines, when he engaged Russian forces and saved his fellow servicemembers by drawing the enemy's attention to himself.
The Head of State personally presented the Order of the Golden Star to the Heroes of Ukraine. The highest state award was conferred on:
Colonel Ihor Obolenskyi. In July 2025, he assumed command of the Khartiia 2nd Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine. He personally planned and led more than 100 complex combat operations. Between September and December alone, units under his command eliminated more than 2,000 Russian occupiers and wounded nearly 1,500 more. They also destroyed more than 200 pieces of military equipment, around 70 artillery systems, more than 20 mortars, about 20 boats, over 100 ammunition depots, around 120 UAV command posts, and more than 3,000 drones, while liberating the villages of Kindrashivka and Radkivka in the Kharkiv region from Russian occupation.
Junior Sergeant Volodymyr Savchenko. He carried out combat missions on the front line of the defense of Vovchansk for more than 260 days. During that time, he eliminated at least 20 Russian occupiers. In August 2025, he was wounded but continued defending his position. In early September, following an enemy strike, he was trapped under the rubble. Together with a fellow servicemember, he spent three days clearing away the collapsed concrete by hand to reach the surface. Later, he successfully led an assault on an enemy position and covered the evacuation team for wounded fighters, destroying two enemy drones in the process.
The Cross of Military Merit award of the President of Ukraine was presented to Senior Soldier Bohdan Dmytruk. He carried out combat missions on the front line in the Donetsk region for 154 days. During that time, he repelled enemy assaults, evacuated wounded and fallen warriors, laid minefields and other explosive barriers, and destroyed around 10 enemy drones.
Other defenders were also awarded the Orders “For Courage,” I class, of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, II class, of Princess Olga, III class, and of Danylo Halytskyi.
Among those honored were medics who save warriors and accompany the wounded. The President presented the Order “For Courage,” III class, to the parents of Dmytro Kolesnyk, a doctor with the Center for Emergency Medical Care and Disaster Medicine. After the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, he served with an emergency medical team, saving the wounded in settlements near the front line. During one such mission, the ambulance he was traveling in was attacked by Russian drones, and Dmytro Kolesnyk was killed.
The President also recognized Ukraine's energy workers, including those who helped restore the Kherson Thermal Power Plant and damaged substations. Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented the Order of the State to the wife of Hero of Ukraine Oleksii Brekht, a member of the Management Board of Ukrenergo, who was killed on January 21 while repairing one of the company's substations following a Russian attack. He worked at Ukrenergo for more than 24 years and served as Acting Chairman of the Management Board in 2024–2025.
The President presented the Order “For Courage,” III class, to the daughter of trolleybus driver Vasyl Kryshtop, who had worked for the municipal transport company for 21 years. He died in the hospital on June 24 from injuries he sustained in a Russian attack on a trolleybus in Sumy while he was behind the wheel.
The Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, V class, was awarded to Yuliia Svyrydenko, who served as Prime Minister of Ukraine in 2025–2026, and Denys Shmyhal, First Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Energy of Ukraine.
The Order of Merit, II class, was awarded to Gaël Veyssière, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Ukraine, and the Order of Princess Olga, III class, was awarded to Daryna Krasnolutska, Chief of the Bloomberg News bureau in Ukraine.
In addition, Volodymyr Zelenskyy conferred the honorary titles of Merited Donor of Ukraine, Merited Doctor of Ukraine, and Merited Lawyer of Ukraine.
The Head of State also presented passports to ten young Ukrainians. Among them were children of fallen and captured defenders, as well as medalists in national and international sports competitions.