President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded the Orders of the Golden Star to the Heroes of Ukraine and presented honors to the families of fallen Heroes. He also recognized Ukrainian warriors with the “Cross of Military Merit” awards.
“I want to thank you for who you are, for your courage and bravery, and that of your brothers and sisters-in-arms, and your loved ones, which enables Ukraine’s existence and allows Ukraine to hold on, to hold on with dignity,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.
According to the President, over recent weeks, partners have frequently expressed gratitude for Kupyansk – for the operation that restores faith in Ukraine and proves that Russia’s head lies, while our warriors are unmatched in proving the truth.
“Now, as we do everything to secure peace for Ukraine, we clearly understand that diplomacy cannot succeed without you. If our positions on the front lines are not strong above all, Ukraine will not have strong positions in any negotiation format,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted.
The Head of State thanked Ukrainian warriors and their families and urged everyone to never forget the price Ukraine pays for all of this. A moment of silence was observed in memory of fallen defenders.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented the Orders of the Golden Star to the families of the fallen Heroes of Ukraine. This title was posthumously conferred upon:
Junior Sergeant Vladyslav Bykov. In spring 2022, the warriors of the mechanized unit under his command prevented enemy forces from breaking into Mykolaiv. Despite heavy enemy fire, he organized aid and evacuation for three wounded brothers-in-arms. In June, he destroyed an enemy IFV with its crew and landing force. Vladyslav Bykov was killed by artillery fire on September 5, 2022.
Lieutenant Colonel Oleksandr Borovyk, 2nd class pilot. He conducted over 200 combat sorties during the defense of the Zhytomyr and Kyiv regions, participated in the liberation of the Kharkiv region, the right bank of the Kherson region, and Zmiinyi Island. This year, he destroyed the enemies and ammunition depots in the Donetsk region and took part in the Kursk operation. Oleksandr Borovyk was killed in Zaporizhzhia on September 11 this year by a Russian missile during a combat sortie.
Senior Sergeant Serhii Hlukhyi. He participated in the defense of Okhtyrka and the liberation of Trostyanets, evacuating three wounded warriors from encirclement. In autumn 2022, he eliminated four occupiers in close combat in the Donetsk region. In 2023, he defended Bakhmut, eliminating over 20 invaders. Serhii Hlukhyi was killed on July 30 this year by a Russian drone strike.
Senior Lieutenant Denys Zelenyi (NGU). In May last year, near Yampil, Donetsk region, he detected an enemy unit, opened fire, and eliminated five Russian infantrymen; he destroyed an enemy IFV with a mortar. He was wounded but continued the defense and eliminated about a platoon of occupiers. During a Russian strike on the National Guard position, Denis Zelenyi sustained multiple shrapnel wounds and burns, from which he died the following day in hospital.
Junior Sergeant Volodymyr Ivashchenko (NGU). He defended the Kyiv region, taking part in battles near Huta-Mezhyhirska, Moshchun, and Irpin, where he destroyed two armored vehicles and eliminated 15 occupiers. He also fought in Rubizhne, Siverskodonetsk, and Lysychansk. His record includes 25 special operations, 10 burned vehicles, and an eliminated enemy platoon. Volodymyr Ivashchenko was killed in the Luhansk region during an enemy mortar attack on May 3 last year.
Junior Sergeant Vitalii Kaporin (NGU). He defended Ukraine in the Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions. In April last year, he repelled enemy assaults near Urozhaine, destroying an armored personnel carrier with its crew using a handheld grenade launcher. Having lost approximately 50 infantrymen during combat, the occupiers were forced to retreat. Vitalii Kaporin was killed the following day, May 1, 2024, in combat while covering his brothers-in-arms.
Sergeant Bohdan Pyhyna. In June 2023, he defended Ukraine in the Kherson region. He led a counterattack that resulted in the elimination of 20 occupiers. Last year, he took part in battles near Avdiivka and Kalynivka, as well as operations in the Kharkiv region. On June 20 this year, during a combat mission, he discovered mine obstacles and personally cleared them. Later, he was wounded in a firefight, ordered his subordinates to withdraw, but was killed while covering them with fire.
Lieutenant Colonel Roman Samusik (NGU). In July last year, in the Zaporizhzhia region, he identified and eliminated an enemy sniper pair. He subsequently shot down a Russian drone used to drop mines; one of the mines wounded Roman Samusik’s brother-in-arms. Lieutenant Colonel provided assistance and began the evacuation. Under enemy fire, he sustained a gunshot wound, and later, during a kamikaze drone attack while shielding a brother-in-arms and saving his life, he was killed.
Senior Soldier Yevhenii Shcherbyna. Since 2022, he has participated in battles in the Donetsk region, repelling enemy assaults and eliminating occupiers. In April this year, he struck an enemy buggy with its crew using a handheld grenade launcher. Shortly after, he shielded a brother-in-arms wounded by an FPV drone, sustaining injuries himself, but managed to help him to cover. In the next combat engagement, Yevhenii Shcherbyna eliminated two invaders but was fatally wounded.
The President also personally presented the Orders of the Golden Star to Major of the Civil Protection Service Serhii Babenko (SES) and to Brigadier General Ivan Lukashevych (SSU).
Serhii Babenko took part in the Anti-Terrorist Operation from 2015 to 2018. From the outset of Russia’s full-scale war, he has been involved in search-and-rescue and emergency response operations following shelling in the Pokrovsk and Kramatorsk districts of the Donetsk region. In August this year, after a strike on Sloviansk, while extinguishing a fire and evacuating civilians, he sustained blast and shrapnel injuries as a result of an ammunition detonation. He underwent treatment and is currently recovering.
Brigadier General Ivan Lukashevych (SSU). Under his leadership, military engineers of the Security Service of Ukraine developed the Sea Baby maritime drone and, for the first time, used it to strike Russian warships. In the summer of 2023, the first serial Sea Baby drones hit the Crimean Bridge. Later, his team upgraded the drone by increasing its size, speed, and capacity and installing additional equipment. Together with his team, Ivan Lukashevych created a fleet of maritime drones and continues to adapt various types of weaponry for use on unmanned platforms.
The Head of State also presented the “Cross of Military Merit” awards. The recipients were:
Chief Sergeant Viktor Bystro (NGU). He took part in combat in the Luhansk region, currently carrying out combat missions in the Donetsk region. He personally destroyed approximately 30 units of enemy equipment and two platoons of occupiers. In May, as part of an assault group, he broke through to six wounded National Guardsmen who had been surrounded by the enemy and carried a wounded warrior to safety.
Senior Sergeant Viktor Ivanov (NGU). In May, in the Donetsk region, during an enemy attack on a Ukrainian position, he shot down an enemy drone using small arms fire, and when the enemy approached the fortifications, eliminated four occupiers. Later, he detected a concealed enemy mortar and struck it with an FPV drone, destroying the occupiers.
Major Yevhen Karas. Commander of the 413th Separate Unmanned Systems Regiment; a participant in combat operations in the Kyiv, Sumy, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions. Between August and November this year, his unit struck more than 250 passenger vehicles, 100 trucks, 30 artillery systems, 15 armored vehicles, nine tanks, eight multiple launch rocket systems, self-propelled artillery units, an electronic warfare station, and several surface-to-air missile systems.
Major Ruslan Pylypchuk. He took part in combat operations in the Zaporizhzhia and Sumy regions, as well as in the Kursk operation. In August last year, in the Kursk region, a unit under his command seized a platoon strongpoint of the enemy, eliminated and wounded approximately a platoon of occupiers, and destroyed three units of enemy armored equipment and two vehicles.
Major Oleksandr Tymoshchuk. He organized an intelligence system for fire units and FPV drone operators, creating an effective deployment and coordination model between UAV operators and adjacent units. In August–September, in the Donetsk region, he commanded the destruction of eight enemy vehicles, three Grad multiple launch rocket systems, an artillery gun with ammunition, and also the evacuation of a warrior using a robotic drone.
