During a meeting of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented state awards to representatives of local governments and military administrations, and also awarded the honorary distinction ‘Hero City of Ukraine’.

State awards were presented to community leaders and representatives of local authorities from different regions of Ukraine – for their contribution to ensuring the functioning of communities, resilience, managerial decisions in wartime conditions, and support for the population.

 

 

In particular, Serhii Solomakha, Mayor of Myrhorod, was awarded the Order of Merit, 1st Class. Community leaders from Zakarpattia, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy, Kherson, Rivne, and Chernivtsi regions were awarded the Order of Merit, 3rd Class.

Special state awards were also given to regional-level leaders, including Ihor Terekhov, Mayor of Kharkiv, as well as representatives of local governments in Zaporizhzhia region.

During the meeting, the President also awarded the honorary title of ‘Hero City of Ukraine’ to communities that have become symbols of resilience and fortitude during the full-scale war.

 

 

Among those honoured are the cities of Donetsk region: Druzhkivka, Kostiantynivka, Kramatorsk, Pokrovsk, and Sloviansk. They have long served as frontline outposts, supporting Ukrainian defenders from the rear and coming under enemy attack on a daily basis.

In Zaporizhzhia region, the awards were given to Huliaipole and Orikhiv, the communities that have been under constant shelling since the first days of the full-scale invasion.

In Kharkiv region, the award was given to Kupiansk, which remains in the zone of active hostilities.

 

 

In Dnipropetrovsk region, Marganets, Nikopol, and Pavlohrad were honoured: cities which, despite regular shelling, continue to function and thrive thanks to the community's organisation and resilience.

Among the honoured cities are Starokostiantyniv in Khmelnytskyi region, which is of strategic importance for the country’s defence capabilities, as well as Sumy and Trostianets. Trostianets was under occupation for 31 days, but the enemy’s advance in the north-east was halted there.

 

 

For reference: the honorary title of ‘Hero City of Ukraine’ was established in March 2022. It is awarded to communities that have shown extraordinary resilience, courage, and unity in resisting russian aggression.

To date, 26 Ukrainian cities have been awarded this title as a symbol of the resilience of people who, despite the war, continue to live, work, and restore their communities.

Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine