Zelenskyy honored over 1,300 defenders: half of the awards were awarded posthumously
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has awarded state honors to another 1,335 defenders of Ukraine.
According to Censor.NET, the relevant decrees No. 478/2026 and No. 479/2026 have been published on the official website of the head of state. According to the documents, the state awards were conferred for personal bravery demonstrated in the defense of Ukraine’s state sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as for the selfless fulfillment of military duty.
More than 660 awards have been posthumously conferred
Of the 1,335 service members honored, 665 received state awards posthumously.
Thus, nearly half of the honored defenders were recognized for acts of bravery that cost them their lives while defending Ukraine against Russian aggression.
What awards did the military personnel receive?
Among the awards presented to Ukrainian defenders are the President of Ukraine’s "Cross of Military Merit," the Orders of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, Danylo Halytskyi, and "For Courage."
The servicemen were also awarded the medals "For Military Service to Ukraine," "Defender of the Fatherland," and "For Saving Lives."
The documents state that all awards were conferred for the courage, heroism, and dedication demonstrated while carrying out combat missions to defend Ukraine.
