“Our statehood is our response to the need for security and peace for Ukraine,” — President on the occasion of Ukrainian Statehood Day
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky took part in the event on the occasion of the Day of Ukrainian Statehood, which took place on Mykhailivska Square in Kyiv.
“Today we celebrate Statehood Day. For the second time, in a full-scale war. And we all aspire that next year we celebrate this day in the same way in our free capital, in the same way with our heroes, but with victory. With a victory that will be the beginning of a deserved and just peace for all our land, for all our people. Only victory over captivity gives true freedom, and the strength of victory determines the strength and duration of peace,” the President stressed during his speech.
Welcoming Ukrainians on the Day of Ukrainian Statehood and the Day of Baptism of Kievan Rus — Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky noted that the more than thousand-year history of our statehood proves that Ukraine needs to win, because there is no belief that Russia will not want to return with aggression even after the Russian occupiers are driven out of Ukrainian land.
“Our statehood is our response to the need for security and peace for Ukraine. A statehood that is difficult to defend, but the most difficult to regain if you lose. Statehood, which is never just a given, but always, every day is the result of serving and working for Ukraine,” he is convinced.
The participants observed with a moment of silence the memory of all Ukrainian heroes who fought against the invaders and gave their lives for Ukraine.
The President emphasized that the war with the Russian occupiers for the freedom and independence of Ukraine determined national priorities, the first of which was defense.
Thus, on the occasion of the Day of Ukrainian Statehood, the President presented awards to the servicemen.
In particular, the highest award — the Order of the Golden Star — was awarded to the pilot of the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Lieutenant Colonel Serhiy Verbytsky, who was awarded the title Hero of Ukraine. Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, Sergey Verbitsky as part of the crew of the Su-24 aircraft carried out combat sorties to target air strikes on the accumulation of enemy armored vehicles in the Kiev, Kharkiv, Kherson, Donetsk regions. His crew demonstrated high professionalism and courage. On March 22 last year, Sergei Verbitsky's plane during a combat mission in the Kharkiv region, despite an anti-missile maneuver, was hit by the enemy. The pilot managed to get out and survive.
The Head of State also presented the “Golden Star” to the Hero of Ukraine artillery officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Lieutenant Nikolai Chobana, who since February 24, 2022 has been participating in repelling the full-scale armed aggression of the Russian Federation. The artillery battery under his command repeatedly destroyed enemy artillery batteries, tanks, other equipment and suppressed the actions of enemy infantry units. During the enemy shelling, Mykola Choban was able to bring his artillery battery into a safe area without loss of personnel and weapons.
Volodymyr Zelensky awarded the Medal of the President of Ukraine “Cross of Combat Merit” to Junior Sergeant of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces Yevhenii Gorokhov, Lieutenant Colonel of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces Vadim Korzhenko and the pilot of the Air Forces of the Armed Forces Lieutenant Colonel Maxim Fedinsky.
The Head of State also awarded Bohdan Khmelnitsky the II and III degrees, the Order “For Courage” of the second and third degrees. The awards from the hands of the President were received by servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the State Border Service of Ukraine, the Security Service, the National Guard and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.
In addition, Volodymyr Zelensky awarded the honorary name “Prince Mstislav the Brave” to the 66th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Also, the Head of State awarded the honorary award “For courage and courage” to the 19th separate missile brigade “St. Barbara” of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces, the 55th Separate Artillery Brigade “Zaporizhzhya Sich” of the Ground Troops of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces, the 1129th anti-aircraft missile Belotser Kiev Regiment of Ground Troops of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces, the 100th Separate Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces, the 112th Separate Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces, the 105th Border Detachment named after Prince Vladimir the Great State Border Service of Ukraine and the 79th Border Troop DPSU.
Volodymyr Zelensky handed passports of a citizen of Ukraine to 16 young Ukrainians who have reached the age of 14. Among them are the children of Ukrainian defenders who are liberating our country from Russian invaders, children of heroes who gave their lives defending the state, young men who were forced to leave their homes because of the threat of life from the Russian invaders.
According to the materials of the Office of the President of Ukraine
