On the eve of the fourth anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded the Orders of the Golden Star to Heroes of Ukraine and handed the awards to the families of fallen Heroes, presented Ukrainian warriors with the Cross of Military Merit and other high state awards, and also presented units of the Defense Forces with combat flags, honorary distinction ribbons “For Courage and Bravery,” and honorary name ribbons.
“Ukraine honors its heroes and lives, unquestionably, thanks to its heroes. Thanks to your relatives, loved ones, our warriors, thanks to our people who did not surrender, were not afraid, and who fight for our state. Fight in the way necessary so that the Russians do not succeed,” the Head of State noted.
The President emphasized: unlike the Russians, we do not consider war, abuse of people, killings, violence, emptiness, and ruin to be something normal. That is why Ukraine cannot surrender, and no one in the world can reconcile with such a Russia if they value life instead. But the Russians can be forced to end the war they themselves started and are prolonging.
“Ukraine is now in its positions, in strong positions. We have withstood many strikes. Ukraine restores and protects life, withstands all assaults, because first and foremost you, the warriors, withstand all assaults. You are our protection,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
The President is convinced that Ukraine will definitely endure, defend its independence, and the right to live.
“We guarantee security for Ukraine and will never betray our people, all Ukrainian heroes of different times who fought for Ukraine and, unfortunately, gave their lives so that Ukraine would exist,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.
Those present honored with a moment of silence all the heroes of our state who died for Ukraine.
The President handed the Orders of the Golden Star to the families of the fallen Heroes of Ukraine. The highest title was awarded posthumously to:
Junior Sergeant Roman Havriliuk. During an attack on enemy positions, he enabled his brothers-in-arms to begin the encirclement by drawing attention to himself and consciously risking his life. Later, he destroyed a reinforcement group with machine-gun fire, forcing the surrounded occupiers to surrender. On August 9, 2023, near Krasnohorivka, his group was ambushed. Roman Havriliuk sustained gunshot wounds, provided aid to himself, but was killed as a result of a subsequent massive Russian artillery shelling.
Senior Police Lieutenant Kyrylo Zibrov (the National Police united assault brigade “Liut”). As a UAV pilot, he monitored the situation, conducted reconnaissance, and adjusted fire in the Donetsk region. In August 2024, he detected a concentration of 25 occupiers and their armored vehicles and struck them with a munition-equipped drone. Kyrylo Zibrov was killed during Russian shelling while covering a brother-in-arms with his body.
Captain Ivan Kotsur. He defended the city of Voznesensk in the Mykolaiv region and prevented occupiers from reaching the Martynivka airfield. In 2023, as deputy company commander of the Marine Corps, he carried out combat missions in the Avdiivka and Berdiansk sectors. During the liberation of the village of Storozhove, his group destroyed about 70 occupiers. On June 13, 2023, the armored vehicle of the group led by Ivan Kotsur was hit by a tank. He sustained a severe wound and was killed while covering the withdrawal of his brothers-in-arms.
Colonel Vasyl Simushyn (State Border Guard Service of Ukraine). He took part in the Anti-Terrorist Operation and the Joint Forces Operation. In July 2023, he repelled enemy assaults in the Kharkiv region, during which he sustained several wounds but refused evacuation. The border guards held their positions, destroyed equipment and occupiers, but the enemy forces prevailed. To evacuate the wounded and move his brothers-in-arms to a safer place, the wounded Vasyl Simushyn detonated a grenade near the enemy and continued firing a grenade launcher until the end.
Soldier Dmytro Chornyi. In the summer of 2025, he was expanding the system of engineering fortifications on the forward edge of defense near the village of Shakhove, Pokrovsk district. He neutralized more than 200 explosive devices, cleared territories, and created passages in minefields. On September 2, he was ambushed by an enemy sabotage and reconnaissance group. In an unequal battle, he eliminated part of the occupiers and, at the cost of his life, enabled an adjacent group to take up defense.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy personally awarded the Heroes of Ukraine the Order of the Golden Star. The awards were received by:
Soldier Vladyslav Bilousov. From March to December 2025, he continuously remained at combat positions near the village of Shevchenko, Pokrovsk district. He held the positions alone and, after waiting for reinforcement with personnel and ammunition, continued repelling numerous attacks by the occupier, inflicting significant losses on them.
Soldier Oleksandr Maretskyi. Since the summer of 2025, he has been carrying out combat missions in the Zaporizhzhia region. In September, while on duty, he detected the movement of occupiers, destroyed some of them, and prevented the loss of a forward position. He covered 2 km under fire to reach a position attacked by the enemy with which contact had been lost. He sustained a head wound but managed to reach the nearest trench and report the situation. Only the next morning was he evacuated.
Senior Lieutenant Oleksandr Khyzhniak. He set up positions near Klishchiivka and took part in battles. His platoon destroyed at least 17 Wagner fighters. In the summer of 2024, he planned combat actions in the Svatove district of the Luhansk region, where the defenders recaptured four positions and destroyed at least 17 occupiers. In 2025, Oleksandr Khyzhniak and his group engaged Russians near Novovodianе, destroying at least 16 enemies.
The Head of State also presented the Cross of Military Merit to the warriors. The award was received by:
Hero of Ukraine, Captain Ivan Kozin. The first Ukrainian defender to receive the Cross of Military Merit for the third time. Commander of a mechanized battalion. In September 2025, near Orestopil in the Dnipro region, he organized a flanking maneuver and an attack on enemy positions. The warriors destroyed more than 40 occupiers and secured the village. For 84 days in semi-encirclement, the units under his command held settlements near the village of Vorone, destroyed more than 200 occupiers, two tanks, and three IFVs. In November, they repelled an attempt by Russians to retake positions near Novoselivka, eliminating more than 70 occupiers.
Captain Andrii Barkovskyi (State Border Guard Service of Ukraine). In January–February 2024 in the Kharkiv region, he was part of a group for detecting and eliminating enemy sabotage groups; later he carried out combat missions in the Sumy region and took part in the Kursk operation. In April last year, thanks to aerial reconnaissance, Ukrainian defenders detected occupiers. The group led by Andrii Barkovskyi destroyed three Russians and captured two. During interrogation, it was possible to determine the operational situation and the enemy’s plans.
Senior Lieutenant Valentyn Bryka. Since December 2024, he has been carrying out combat missions in the Pokrovsk sector. Last year, his artillery platoon destroyed an enemy mortar crew, ensured accurate fire against superior enemy forces, and stopped an offensive by invaders on motorcycles.
Senior Lieutenant Vadym Loza. In the summer of 2025, his unit destroyed a squad of enemy infantry. Then it eliminated eight more occupiers, thwarting a breakthrough attempt. In September, the battalion drove the enemy from positions and advanced 800 m into the defense depth. During one of the Russian attacks, Vadym Loza hit a machine-gun position, forcing the occupiers to stop the assault.
Junior Sergeant Vasyl Mulko (National Guard of Ukraine, “Khartiia”). He repeatedly went to forward positions to rotate personnel, deliver ammunition, and evacuate the wounded. In April last year, after his armored vehicle hit a mine, he dragged wounded brothers-in-arms to the nearest shelter, provided aid, and waited for the arrival of another evacuation group. This saved the lives of three warriors.
Senior Sergeant Ivan Palamarchuk (National Guard of Ukraine, “Azov”). In April 2025, he repelled assaults on Ukrainian positions in the Donetsk region, including personally destroying three occupiers during one of the attacks. On April 24 last year, under intense enemy fire, he carried a wounded officer on his back, provided aid, and called for evacuation, thereby saving the warrior’s life.
Soldiers Vladyslav Savchuk and Ihor Trotsko. Since August 2025, they have been carrying out combat missions as part of a motorized infantry battalion. In September last year, near a firing position, they destroyed an occupier and captured enemy communications equipment. They passed the obtained intelligence data to the command. As a result, four enemy attacks in the Donetsk region were thwarted and the elimination of 15 occupiers was confirmed.
Sergeant Oleh Skoryk. Since the end of 2024, he has been carrying out combat missions near Kotlyne, Pokrovsk district. In June last year, together with his brothers-in-arms, he was attacked with an unknown poisonous gas – the defenders used gas masks and remained in position. He repeatedly provided aid to wounded brothers-in-arms. In total, for more than 150 days in semi-encirclement, he carried out tasks on the line of combat contact.
The defenders also received from the Head of State the Orders of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, III class; the Orders “For Courage,” I–III classes; and the Orders of Danylo Halytskyi.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented combat flags to the commanders of the 144th Separate Mechanized Brigade, the 412th Separate Unmanned Systems Brigade “Nemesis,” and the 1121st Training Anti-Aircraft Missile Artillery Regiment.
The distinction “For Courage and Bravery” was received by the commanders of the 67th Separate Mechanized Brigade, the 47th Separate Artillery Brigade, the 11th Separate Army Aviation Brigade “Kherson,” and the 4th Pavlohrad Regiment of the National Guard of Ukraine.
The President also presented honorary name ribbons to the leadership of units: the 127th Separate Heavy Mechanized Brigade was assigned the honorary name “Kharkivska,” the 27th Regiment of the National Guard of Ukraine – “named after Prince Sviatoslav Yaroslavych,” and the 36th Regiment of the National Guard of Ukraine – “Podilskyi.”
