Volodymyr Zelenskyy Presented State Honors and the Golden Heart Awards to Ukrainian Volunteers, Doctors, Educators, Scientists, Cultural Figures, Athletes, and Journalists for Their Contribution to the Fight Against Russian Aggression
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with volunteers, doctors, educators, scientists, cultural figures, athletes, and journalists to present state awards on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
“Ukraine has a long history of defending its identity and its right to be a nation that determines for itself how to live and with whom to share its life. There were times when Ukraine could not withstand this struggle and, sadly, lost its freedom. And now is the time when Ukraine has reached its greatest significance and the greatest potential it has ever had,” said the Head of State.
The President emphasized that issues of fundamental importance to our country cannot be resolved without Ukraine.
“But this does not mean that our work is done or that Ukrainians can simply take pride in what has already been achieved. Russia has still not accepted our existence. The defense of Ukraine and respect for Ukraine demand our daily strength, action, and the daily courage of all Ukrainians,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy added.
He stressed that Ukraine remembers all its people who have given their lives to ensure the country remains independent and free. Attendees observed a moment of silence to honor the memory of all fallen Ukrainian heroes.
Volunteer and servicewoman, Veronika Sokol, chaired the working group for the Wall of Remembrance memorial, collecting photos and information on the fallen and building an archive. She initiated the Day of Remembrance of the Defenders of Ukraine on August 29 and contributed to the creation of the Museum of the Russo-Ukrainian War. She signed a military service contract in 2024 and passed away on November 12, 2025, due to illness.
A shooter on Ukraine’s national team, Oleksii Khabarov, was an International-Class Master of Sport in Ukraine, European champion, and World Cup medalist. He was killed on August 19, 2025, in an exchange of fire near Shakhove in the Pokrovsk direction.
Coach of Ukraine’s national beach handball and handball teams, Mykhailo Tsap, was a multiple-time Ukrainian champion. He was killed on February 24, 2024, during a combat mission near Luhanske village in the Donetsk region.
Awards presented by the President personally included:
Order of Merit, II class, to General Director and Artistic Director of the Kharkiv National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre named after M. V. Lysenko, Igor Tuluzov. He adapted the theatre’s underground spaces for rehearsals and performances. Under his leadership, the theatre runs rehabilitation and patriotic projects supporting volunteers, veterans, and the local community.
Order of Merit, III class, has been awarded to:
Head of the Recovery and Returning projects, Svitlana Hrytsenko. Since the start of the war, her coordination with international organizations has resulted in the delivery of medicines, food, and heating supplies to over 3 million Ukrainians. She manages the development of Recovery and Returning centers for military rehabilitation.
Director of the Odessa Museum of Contemporary Art, Semen Kantor. Under his leadership, the museum has hosted numerous events, including international biennales of modern art, which established a platform for artistic cooperation among cultural institutions and artists from over 30 countries.
Musician from the band Kurgan & Agregat and volunteer, Ramil Elman Ogly Nasirov. The band donates vehicles, drones, and other equipment to Ukrainian defenders. During their European tour, the musicians raised over UAH 14 million, which was directed to the needs of Defense Intelligence, and more than UAH 9 million raised at a single concert in Kyiv’s Palace of Sports went to Ukraine's Defense Forces.
Theatre and film actress, Anastasiia Pustovit. After the full-scale Russian invasion began, she spent two weeks in the temporarily occupied Nemishaieve village of the Bucha district. On February 26, 2022, together with like-minded colleagues, she organized a volunteer headquarters to assist the community. Since then, she has been actively engaged in volunteer work, supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine and internally displaced persons.
Volunteer of the Ukrainian Vector charity fund, Oleksii Tykhonovych. He helped secure UAH 23 million in donor funds for military needs, enabling the purchase of cargo trucks, minibuses, 100 attack FPV drones and copters, counter-drone systems, Valkyrie UAVs, Starlink satellite systems, a specialized medical vehicle, and buggies for evacuating the wounded.
Journalist and editor of the Japanese-language news service at the Ukrinform agency, Takashi Hirano. A Japanese journalist, diplomat, writer, and photographer who has lived and worked in Ukraine since 2008. He is professionally fluent in Ukrainian and brings the truth about the war and Ukraine’s situation to the Japanese audience, countering Russian propaganda. He has published several books in Japanese about Ukraine and studies and promotes the Crimean Tatar language.
Recipients of the Order of Princess Olga, III class, are:
Document specialist at the Come Back Alive foundation, Anastasiia Shvedska. She effectively supports the foundation’s work by ensuring an uninterrupted supply of essential equipment to the military, and manages documents from over 2,500 military units, educational institutions, and medical facilities.
Recipients of the President of Ukraine’s Golden Heart award are:
Stand-up comedian and volunteer, Vasyl Baidak. One of the pioneers of creative fundraising for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, he developed the stand-up volunteering format, organizing numerous charity concerts and tours, with 100% of proceeds going to the army. He purchases and delivers critically needed equipment to Ukrainian defenders.
Volunteer and director of the Mercy and Health Rehabilitation Center, Kateryna Bohadelnikova. Her center provides physical and psychological rehabilitation for warriors, veterans, and civilians. She initiated the opening of five rehabilitation centers across Ukraine and delivered 95 fully equipped ICU ambulances to military and medical units. She also organizes support events for wives of fallen defenders and their children.
Volunteer and director of the IT for Victory charitable foundation, Viktor Ivankov. He has been active in volunteer work since 2014. He united employees of several IT companies in Vinnytsia. Since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, his total support amounts to UAH 167 million. He assisted over 80 units, provided 200 pieces of equipment, and around 400 drones. He also funded the development of new medium- and long-range attack UAVs.
Head of the department at the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation, Anton Pyzhykov. He has been actively involved in volunteering since 2014. During the full-scale war, he initiated a project to acquire 1,000 night-vision devices for the Defense Forces. He obtained a U.S. export license to purchase third-generation PVS-14 night-vision devices. He organizes direct delivery of foreign-made military equipment and gear to Ukraine.
Volunteer and tactical medicine manager at the Together for Ukraine Charitable Foundation, Matvii Suslov. Under his leadership, over 200,000 tactical medical supplies were delivered to Ukrainian units. He organized training for more than 1,000 Special Operations Forces and Defense Intelligence personnel and around 200 tactical medicine instructors. He also initiated and coordinated the first international Tourniquet Forum 2025.
Volunteer, singer, and director of the Iryna Fedyshyn Charitable Foundation, Iryna Chovnyk (Fedyshyn). She organized and held over 240 charity concerts in Ukraine and abroad, directing all proceeds to the Armed Forces and humanitarian causes. She also facilitated the acquisition and delivery of over 400 units of military equipment and hundreds of critical supplies to defenders.
The title Merited Doctor of Ukraine was conferred on neurosurgeon at Okhmatdyt, Andrii Harkusha; transfusiologist and head of the transfusiology department at the Heart Institute, Victoria Horobets; and head of the orthopaedic-traumatology department at the Kyiv Clinical Hospital of Railway Transport No. 1, Oleh Lehenkyi.
The title Merited Education Worker of Ukraine was awarded to the rector of the National University “Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic,” Viktor Hreshta; director of the Human Potential Development Center at Mariupol State University, Lidiia Korobchenko; and senior lecturer of the Department of Food Technology and Restaurant Business Organization at the Professional College of Technology, Business and Law of Lesia Ukrainka Volyn National University, Ihor Makaruk.