On the day of the Armed Forces, the President met with the Ukrainian military in the Donbass and presented them state awards
I wish you the strength to defend our state heroically, as you do it, ”Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, addressing the defenders of Ukraine. The head of state also noted the important role of all who motivate Ukrainian soldiers and thanks to whom they take such heroic steps in their life and history of Ukraine. "I want to thank your parents for raising you, your wives and men, your children, all those who support you every day," he added.
The President also thanked those military, "who, unfortunately, remained on the battlefield, but did not leave Ukraine. " The attendees honored the memory of the dead in the war with Russia a moment of silence. “They will remain in our memory forever. We give these people a moment, and they gave us and our country, confident, years and decades, ”Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized. The head of state noted that he is extremely pleased to be in the Ukrainian Donbass.
"I believe that we will meet in our Ukrainian Donetsk, Lugansk, I am sure that in the Crimea," the President said. According to him, in the east of Ukraine today the most difficult direction, here they defend the whole state. At the same time, in other areas of the Armed Forces, they perform complex tasks for defense and de -occupation of Ukrainian territories. “I want to thank for this stability and strength.
You are an outpost of our independence, ”the head of state emphasized, addressing military personnel. Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented state awards and valuable gifts to defenders. In particular, the President awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine and presented the Order of the Golden Star to the commander of the 54th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Colonel Oleksiy Maistrenko.
From February 24, 2022, he was directly involved in the reflection of open armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. The colonel planned and managed the actions of servicemen of the 54th OMB from the liberation of settlements disputed Donetsk region and Bigorovka in Luhansk region. From mid -September to this time, the occupiers have made more than 50 assault attacks on the defensive borders of the brigade with the use of aviation, artillery, tanks, groups of special forces.
Despite the heavy combat situation, the personnel of the mechanized units under the direction of Alexei Maistrenko continue to keep defense, destroying the enemy with all the available forces and means.
The head of state also awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine and presented the Order to the deputy commander of the brigade-the head of the department of artillery of the 10th separate mountain and assault brigade of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Lieutenant Colonel Volodymyr Potshkin. Since March 2022, he manages the fire of the brigade artillery group, organizes artillery intelligence of the enemy objects.