Ukraine is now in a strong position, because our soldiers can withstand all assaults - the President honored defenders with awards on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the full-scale Russian war

"Ukraine honors its heroes and lives, of course, thanks to its heroes. Thanks to your relatives, loved ones, our soldiers, thanks to their people who did not give up, were not afraid and who fight for the sake of our country. They are fighting as necessary so that the Russians do not succeed," the Head of State said.   The President emphasized: unlike the Russians, we do not believe that war, abuse of people, murder, violence, wasteland and ruin are something normal.

That is why Ukraine cannot surrender, and no one in the world can put up with such a Russia, if they themselves value life, as opposed to it. But the Russians can be forced to end the war they started and are dragging on. "Ukraine is now in its positions, in strong positions. We withstood many blows. Ukraine restores and protects life, withstands all assaults, because first of all you, soldiers, withstand all assaults. You are our protection," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

The President is convinced that Ukraine will definitely stand up, 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," stressed Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Those present observed a moment of silence for all the heroes of our state who died for Ukraine.

The President handed over the "Golden Star" orders to the relatives of the fallen Heroes of Ukraine. The highest rank was posthumously awarded to: Junior Sergeant Roman Havrilyuk. During the attack on the enemy's positions, he enabled his comrades to start an encirclement, diverting attention to himself and deliberately risking his life. Later, he destroyed a group of reinforcements with machine gun fire, which forced the encircled occupiers to surrender.

On August 9, 2023, his group was ambushed in the Krasnohorivka area. Roman Havrilyuk was wounded by a bullet, helped himself, but died as a result of the subsequent massive Russian artillery shelling. Police Senior Lieutenant Kyrylo Zibrov (United Assault Brigade of the National Police "Lyut"). As an unmanned aerial vehicle pilot, he monitored the situation, conducted reconnaissance and adjusted fire in Donetsk region.

In August 2024, he discovered a concentration of 25 occupiers and their armored vehicles and struck with a drone with ammunition. Kyrylo Zibrov died during Russian shelling, covering his comrades with himself.   Captain Ivan Kotsur. Defended the city of Voznesensk in the Mykolaiv region and prevented the invaders from entering the Martynivka airfield. In 2023, as a deputy commander of a marine infantry company, he performed combat missions in the Avdiyiv and Berdyan areas.

During the liberation of the village of Storozhove, his group destroyed about 70 occupiers. On June 13, 2023, the armored car of the group led by Ivan Kotsur was hit by a tank. He was seriously wounded and died while covering the departure of his comrades. Colonel Vasyl Simushyn (DPSU). Took part in ATO and OOS. In July 2023, he repelled enemy assaults in the Kharkiv region, during which he suffered several injuries, but refused to evacuate.

The border guards held their positions, destroyed equipment and invaders, but the enemy's forces prevailed. In order to evacuate the wounded and move his comrades to a safer place, the wounded Vasyl Simushyn detonated a grenade next to the enemy and continued to fire from the grenade launcher until the last one. Soldier Dmytro Cherny. In the summer of 2025, he built up a system of engineering barriers on the front line of the defense near the village of Shakhove, Pokrovsky district.

Destroyed more than 200 explosive devices. Cleared territories and made passages in minefields. On the second of September, he was ambushed by the enemy DRG. In an unequal battle, he eliminated part of the invaders and at the cost of his life enabled the adjacent group to take up the defense. Volodymyr Zelenskyi personally awarded the "Golden Star" to the Heroes of Ukraine. Awards received: Soldier Vladyslav Bilousov.

From March to December 2025, he was continuously in combat positions near the village of Shevchenko, Pokrovsky district. He independently held positions and, waiting for reinforcements with personnel and ammunition, continued to repel numerous attacks of the occupier, inflicting significant losses on him. Soldier Oleksandr Maretskyi. Since the summer of 2025, it has been performing combat missions in Zaporizhzhia.

In September, while on duty, he discovered the movement of the occupiers, destroyed some of them and prevented the loss of the advanced position. Covered 2 km under fire to reach enemy attacked position with which contact was lost. He was wounded in the head, but was able to reach the nearest trench and report the situation. He was evacuated only the next morning. Senior Lieutenant Oleksandr Khizhnyak. He set up positions near Klishchiivka and took part in the battles.

His platoon destroyed at least 17 "Wagnerians". In the summer of 2024, he planned combat operations in the Swativ district of the Luhansk region, where the defenders recaptured four positions and destroyed at least 17 occupiers. In 2025, Oleksandr Khizhnyak and his group fought the Russians near Novovodyanyi, destroying at least 16 enemies. The head of state also presented the soldiers with the "Cross of Combat Merit". The award was given to: Hero of Ukraine, Captain Ivan Kozin.

The first Ukrainian defender who received the "Cross of Combat Merit" award for the third time. Commander of the mechanized battalion. In September 2025, he organized a bypass maneuver and an attack on enemy positions in the Orestopol region of the Dnipro region. The soldiers destroyed more than 40 invaders and were able to gain a foothold in the village.

During 84 days in a semi-encirclement, units under his leadership held settlements in the area of ​​the village of Vorone, destroyed more than 200 invaders, two tanks and three BMPs. In November, they repelled an attempt by the Russians to regain their positions in the Novoselyvka area, eliminating more than 70 occupiers.   Captain Andriy Barkovskyi (DPSU).

In January-February 2024, he was part of a group to detect and eliminate enemy subversive groups in Kharkiv Oblast, later performed combat missions in Sumy Oblast and participated in the Kursk operation. In April last year, thanks to aerial reconnaissance, Ukrainian defenders discovered the occupiers. The group led by Andrii Barkovskyi killed three Russians and captured two. During the interrogation, it was possible to find out the operational situation and plans of the enemy.

Senior Lieutenant Valentin Bryka. Since December 2024, it has been performing combat missions in the Pokrovsky direction. Last year, his artillery platoon destroyed an enemy mortar emplacement, provided accurate fire damage to overwhelming enemy forces, and halted the advance of motorcycle-borne invaders.   Senior Lieutenant Vadym Loza. In the summer of 2025, his unit destroyed a detachment of enemy infantry. Then he eliminated eight more occupiers, thwarting the breakthrough attempt.

In September, the battalion knocked the enemy out of their positions and advanced 800 m deep into the defense. During one of the Russian attacks, Vadim Loza hit a machine gun point, which forced the invaders to stop the assault.   Junior sergeant Vasyl Mulko (NSU, "Charter"). He repeatedly went to forward positions to replace personnel, deliver ammunition and evacuate the wounded.

Last April, after his armored car hit a mine, he dragged his wounded comrades to the nearest shelter, treated them and waited for another evacuation team to arrive. It saved the lives of three soldiers.   Senior Sergeant Ivan Palamarchuk (NSU, "Azov"). In April 2025, he repelled assaults on Ukrainian positions in Donetsk region, in particular, during one of the attacks, he personally destroyed three occupiers.

On the twenty-fourth of April last year, under intense enemy fire, he carried a wounded officer, helped him and called for an evacuation, thus saving the soldier's life.   Soldiers Vladyslav Savchuk and Igor Trotsko. Since August 2025, they have been performing combat missions as part of a motorized infantry battalion. Last year in September, the occupier was destroyed near the firing position and the enemy's means of communication were seized.

The received intelligence data was transferred to the command. Thanks to this, four enemy attacks on Donetsk region were thwarted and the liquidation of 15 occupiers was confirmed. Sergeant Oleh Skoryk. Since the end of 2024, it has been performing combat missions near the Kotlyny Pokrovsky District. In June of last year, he and his brothers were attacked by an unknown poisonous gas - the defenders used gas masks and remained in position. He repeatedly helped wounded comrades.

In total, he spent more than 150 days in a semi-surrounded position on the front lines. The defenders also received the orders of Bohdan Khmelnytsky III degree, "For Courage" I-III degrees and Danylo Halytsky from the Head of State. Volodymyr Zelensky presented battle flags to the commanders of the 144th Separate Mechanized Brigade, the 412th Separate Nemesis Unmanned Systems Brigade and the 1121st Training Anti-Aircraft Missile Artillery Regiment.

  Commanders of the 67th Separate Mechanized Brigade, the 47th Separate Artillery Brigade, the 11th Separate Brigade of Army Aviation "Kherson" and the 4th Pavlograd Regiment of the National Guard of Ukraine received the "For Courage and Courage" award.