On the Day of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with warriors in Kharkiv, presented them with state awards, handed combat flags, honorary distinction ribbons “For Courage and Bravery,” and a ribbon bearing an honorary name to unit commanders.
“Time changes the nature of war; it changes weapons, but our task remains unchanged – to protect our state, to safeguard Ukraine’s independence, and to guarantee real security to our Ukrainians, to our Ukrainian children, to all our people. I am confident we will fulfil this task,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.
The President noted that he had visited Ukrainian positions in Kupyansk. According to the Head of State, the Russians are spreading lies that they have captured the city and are telling the world that Ukraine is supposedly weak.
“Ukraine is strong, it’s defending its positions. And the stronger our defense on the front line, the stronger our positions will be in negotiations. I have said this on numerous occasions, and I repeat it: our positions in negotiations will only be strong if our army is strong,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed.
The President emphasized that Ukraine must end the war with dignity, with respect for every warrior and fallen hero. Those present observed a moment of silence in memory of all defenders who gave their lives for Ukraine.
The Head of State presented the Orders of the Golden Star to two Heroes of Ukraine. The highest state award was conferred on:
Colonel Vasyl Matiiv. As Commander of the 132nd Airborne Assault Reconnaissance Battalion, he secured the destruction of a column of Russian vehicles and the commander of the 2nd Army of the Russian Federation. Later, as Deputy Commander of the 68th Separate Jaeger Brigade, he planned combat operations for the liberation of Blahodatne. Since December 2023, he has commanded units of the 5th Separate Assault Brigade. In 2024, he planned and conducted several operations to destroy enemy forces and equipment near Bakhmut and Chasiv Yar. From July to November this year, under his command, several settlements in the Dnipro region were liberated.
Captain Dmytro Filatov. In the summer of 2022, he staffed and led the reconnaissance of the 7th Center for Special Operations. He was an active participant in the Kharkiv autumn offensive and the liberation of Kupyansk, Vuzlove, and Lyman Pershyi. He organized the capture of a Russian Solntsepyok flamethrower system. Dmytro Filatov also took part in the defense of Bakhmut, in battles for Kurdyumivka and Ivanivka, in the Kupyansk and Lyman areas, and in battles near the Serebryanskyy Forest. Since summer 2024, he has successfully commanded the 1st Separate Assault Battalion in various areas of the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy also presented the “Cross of Military Merit” award to three defenders. The recipients were:
Captain Vasyl Polianchych. He took part in battles in the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions. Units under his command eliminated over 100 occupiers. He led the defense of a company strongpoint and effectively organized a system of fire engagement.
Senior Lieutenant Oleksii Sulyma. He participated in battles in the Zaporizhzhia region. In October this year, he organized a breakthrough of enemy defensive lines, allowing Ukrainian forces to expand their control zone. His unit eliminated four invaders and completed the operation without losses.
Soldier Andrii Tymoshytskyi. In the spring of this year, under attacks from enemy FPV drones, he repaired a breach in barbed wire on the positions and rescued a wounded brother-in-arms. He independently repelled an assault on an observation post, eliminating three occupiers. In one combat engagement, his group destroyed nine enemies and then carried a severely wounded fighter for 3 km on improvised stretchers in the dark to an evacuation point over four hours.
The President also awarded warriors with the Orders of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, I and II classes, and Orders “For Courage,” I–III classes.
In addition, the Head of State presented combat flags to the Deputy Commander of the 120th Separate Reconnaissance Regiment and Commanders of the 210th Separate Assault Regiment, 1021st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment, the Head of the Interservice Training Center for Missile Forces and Artillery Units, and the Commander of the 91st Separate Anti-Tank Battalion. The distinctions “For Courage and Bravery” were handed to the Commander of the 45th Separate Artillery Brigade named after General Myron Tarnavsky, the Deputy Commander of the 68th Separate Jaeger Brigade named after Oleksa Dovbush, and the Commanders of the 16th Separate Army Aviation Brigade “Brody” and 18th Separate Army Aviation Brigade named after Igor Sikorsky. The President presented the ribbon bearing an honorary name, “named after Symon Petliura,” to the Commander of the 152nd Separate Jaeger Brigade.
