For a year now, Lviv has been holding a ceremony to award the St George’s Badge of Honour (posthumously) to defenders who have been defending Ukraine’s independence since 2014 and since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion. Today, on the Constitution Day, the ninth ceremony took place, during which 30 Lviv residents who died at the hands of the occupier were posthumously awarded with the insignia. The awards were presented to the families of the defenders.
“It is a great honour for me to honour your families on the occasion of our Constitution Day, who have lost the most precious thing they have – their own blood. Each of your relatives gave their lives for the sake of our country. No one will ever understand the pain that is in your hearts. And the least we can do as citizens is to honour each of your families with a special award – the Order of St George. You should know that the Lviv community will always remember the feat of your relatives, their names will always live in the history of our city. Because thanks to them, we have the opportunity to live,” said Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi.
The awards were presented by Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi; Head of the Western Regional Directorate of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Major General Valeriy Vavryniuk; Commander of the Air Command “West”, Major General Borys Genov; Head of the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Lviv Oblast, Major General of the Civil Protection Service Yuriy Kahitin; Head of the Western Territorial Directorate of the National Guard of Ukraine, Brigadier General Oleksandr Buravkov; Head of the Lviv Oblast
He was posthumously awarded the St George’s Badge of Honour:
1. A serviceman of the 24th separate mechanised brigade named after King Danylo of the operational command “West” of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, senior soldier Oleh Solotynskyi. He died defending Ukraine on 7 March 2022 in the village of Novooleksandrivka, Luhansk region. The award was presented to his mother Valentyna Stepanivna.
2. A serviceman of the 125th separate territorial defence brigade of the regional directorate “West” of the Territorial Defence Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, soldier Ihor Skakun. He laid down his life for the Independence of the state on 12 June 2022 in the village of Zolochiv, Kharkiv region. The award was presented to his uncle Mykhailo Antonovych.
3. A serviceman of the 125th separate territorial defence brigade of the regional directorate ‘West’ of the Territorial Defence Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, senior soldier Mykola Zabavchuk. He died on 21 July 2022 in the city of Kramatorsk, Donetsk region. The award was presented to his mother Larysa Volodymyrivna.
4. A serviceman of the 80th separate Galician Air Assault Brigade of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Junior Sergeant Pavlo Kyrychenko. He died in hospital as a result of his injuries on 22 July 2022 in the village of Komyshuvakha, Luhansk region. The award was presented to his mother, Iryna Danylivna.
5. Captain Roman Baishchak, a serviceman of the 128th separate mountain assault brigade of the Transcarpathian operational command “West” of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He died in the fight against the invaders on 26 July 2022 in the village of Vilnyansk, Zaporizhzhia region. The award was presented to his children Yurii and Anna.
6. A soldier of the 24th separate mechanised brigade named after King Danylo of the operational command ‘West’ of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, soldier Viktor Khmelnytsky. He died on 30 July, 2022 in a hospital in Kyiv as a result of serious injuries received near the village of Lysychansk, Luhansk region. His daughter Anna received the award.
7. Soldier Serhii Tril, a serviceman of the 103rd separate territorial defence brigade of the regional directorate ‘West’ of the Territorial Defence Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He gave his life for Ukraine on 1 August 2022 in the village of Mykolaivka, Donetsk region. His mother Yulia Andriivna received the award.
8. A serviceman of the 80th separate Galician Air Assault Brigade of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, senior soldier Ivan Tymtsiv. He died on 14 August 2022 in the city of Soledar, Donetsk region. The award was presented to his mother Oksana Olehivna.
9. Soldier Petro Verkhola, a serviceman of the 95th separate Polissia Air Assault Brigade of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He died heroically on 16 August 2022 near the village of Bilohirka, Kherson region. His sister Vitaliia received the award.
10. Lieutenant Taras Bereziuk, a serviceman of the 24th separate mechanised brigade named after King Danylo of the operational command ‘West’ of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He laid down his life for the freedom of Ukraine on 24 August 2022 in the village of Chaplyno, Dnipro region. His mother Maria Semenivna received the award.
11. A soldier of the 24th separate mechanised brigade named after King Danylo of the operational command ‘West’ of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, soldier Roman Holovko. He died on 24 August, 2022 near the village of Chaplyno, Dnipro region. The award was presented to his niece Diana.
12. Lieutenant Yurii Holovin, a serviceman of the 24th separate mechanised brigade named after King Danylo of the operational command ‘West’ of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He died on 24 August 2022 in the village of Chaplyno, Dnipro region. His mother Halyna Mykolaivna received the award.
13. Lieutenant Yaroslav Matviiev, a serviceman of the 5th separate assault brigade of the Kyiv Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He died in a battle with the enemy on 26 August 2022 in the village of Zaitseve, Donetsk region. His wife Anastasiia received the award.
14. A serviceman of the 24th separate mechanised brigade named after King Danylo of the operational command “West” of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Junior Sergeant Mykola Varlam. He died on 3 September 2022 near the village of Bezimenne, Kherson region. His son Yaroslav received the award.
15. Soldier Maksym Shpennyk, a serviceman of the 110th Separate Mechanised Brigade named after Major General Mark Bezruchko of the Reserve Corps of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He died on 6 September 2022 near the village of Avdiivka, Donetsk region. The award was presented to his wife Tetiana and children Sofia and Viktor.
16. A serviceman of the 68th separate hunting brigade named after Oleksa Dovbush of the operational command ‘West’ of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, senior soldier Vitaliy Tonkoshkur. He died on 7 September 2022 in the village of Bohoyavlenka, Donetsk region. The award was presented to his mother Mariia Ivanivna.
17. A serviceman of the 63rd separate mechanised brigade of the Reserve Corps of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, senior soldier Vitalii Donets. He died on 9 September 2022 during the fighting in the village of Bashtanka, Mykolaiv region. The award was presented to his wife Olha Ihorivna.
18. A serviceman of the 24th separate mechanised brigade named after King Danylo of the operational command “West” of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Senior Lieutenant Bohdan Senyshyn. He gave his life for Ukraine on 9 September 2022 in the village of Ternovi Pody, Mykolaiv region. His sister Anna received the award.
19. A serviceman of the 61st separate infantry Steppe Brigade of the Reserve Corps of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant Roman Vysocianskyi. He gave his life for Ukraine on 10 September 2022 in the village of Mala Seidemynukha, Kherson region. The award was presented to his wife Olha Mykolaivna.
20. A serviceman of the 24th separate mechanised brigade named after King Danylo of the operational command “West” of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Junior Sergeant Kseniia Hrytsyna. She died in a battle against the occupier on 11 September 2022 near the village of Bezymenne, Kherson region. The award was presented to her mother Liliia Oleksandrivna and son Oleksandr.
21. A serviceman of the 56th separate motorised infantry brigade of the Mariupol Operational Command ‘South’ of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, soldier Ihor Kasyanov. He gave his life for the Motherland on 11 September 2022 in the village of Pisky, Donetsk region. The award was presented to his wife Olha.
22. Soldier of the 24th separate mechanised brigade named after King Danylo of the operational command ‘West’ of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, soldier Oleksandr Poliukhovych. He died on 11 September 2022 in a battle near the village Bezimenne, Kherson region. His son Maksym received the award.
23. Sergeant Andrii Pidsosnyi, a serviceman of the 24th separate mechanised brigade named after King Danylo of the operational command ‘West’ of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He died on 15 September 2022 in the village of Bezimenne, Kherson region. The award was presented to his mother Liubov Petrivna.
24. Major Mykola Panchenko, a serviceman of the 68th separate battalion of the 101st separate brigade of the Territorial Defence Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He died defending his native land on 17 September 2022 in the village of Milove, Kharkiv region. His wife Khrystyna received the award.
25. A soldier of the 68th separate battalion of the 101st separate brigade of the Territorial Defence Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, soldier Yurii Popov. He died for Ukraine on 17 September, 2022 near the village of Milove, Kharkiv region. His son Nestor received the award.
26. A soldier of the 68th separate battalion of the 101st separate brigade of the Territorial Defence Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, soldier Artem Tolochko. He died in a battle with the invaders on 17 September 2022 in the village of Milove, Kharkiv region. His son Artur received the award.
27. Lieutenant Maksym Moklovych, a serviceman of the 17th separate motorised infantry battalion of the 57th separate motorised infantry brigade named after Kosh Ataman Kosty Hordiienko of the operational command ‘South’ of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He died on 18 September 2022 in a hospital in Odesa as a result of severe injuries. The award was presented to his father Yurii Yaroslavovych.
28. A serviceman of the 80th separate Galician Air Assault Brigade of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, senior soldier Viacheslav Volhin. He gave his life for the Motherland on 19 September 2022 in the village of Oskil, Kharkiv region. His mother Yevheniia Bohdanivna received the award.
29. Junior sergeant of the Civil Protection Service of the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Luhansk Oblast, Oleksii Yemanov. He died on 19 October 2022 during the demining of the village of Balakliia, Kharkiv region. His wife Vira received the award.
30. A serviceman of the 115th Separate Mechanised Brigade of the Reserve Corps of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Major Hennadii Krantsevych. He died in a battle against the occupiers on 19 October 2022 in the city of Myrnohrad, Donetsk region. The award was presented to his wife Liliana Oleksiivna.
“These awards are a symbolic sign that we want to be with you. And if you have any needs or requests, please do not hesitate to contact us, we are open to helping you. Keep this in mind. I wish that the power of love will help you to survive this great grief – the loss of your loved ones. They are in heaven today, but they are with us. Within the walls of the Garrison Church, where we say goodbye to our soldiers, we do not say “goodbye”, but “see you in Eternity”. Therefore, we believe that we will all see each other in heaven. Let’s love each other and support each other,” said Father Taras Mikhalchuk, rector of the Garrison Church in Lviv.
Afterwards, a joint prayer honoured the memory of all the fallen Heroes. The ceremony ended with the spiritual hymn “O Great One God…”. The event was accompanied by the music of the Gomin Municipal Choir. An honour guard was also on duty during the ceremony.
The St George’s Badge of Honour is a city award given by the city of Lviv for outstanding services to the city. The award is depicted in the form of a cross with a circle inscribed with the image of St George, the patron saint of Lviv.
This award is given to all Lviv residents who gave their lives for Ukraine. The award ceremony takes place on the occasion of major state and national holidays. The first ceremony was held on 26 May 2023 on the occasion of the Day of Heroes, when 21 servicemen were awarded (posthumously). The next ceremony took place on 27 June on the occasion of the Constitution Day of Ukraine, when 26 servicemen were awarded (posthumously). On Flag Day and Independence Day of Ukraine, 23 servicemen were awarded (posthumously), and on the eve of the Day of Defenders of Ukraine, 25 servicemen were awarded (posthumously). Also, on 6 December, on the occasion of the Day of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 25 Lviv residents were posthumously awarded. On 22 January 2024, on the occasion of the Day of Unity of Ukraine, 25 servicemen were posthumously awarded, on the occasion of the Day of Lviv, 25 Lviv residents were posthumously awarded, and on 29 May, on the occasion of the Day of Heroes, 30 Lviv residents were posthumously awarded. And today, on 28 June, on the occasion of the Constitution Day of Ukraine, 30 Lviv residents were awarded (posthumously). This means that a total of 230 Lviv defenders have already been awarded (posthumously) this award (64 of them defended Ukraine in 2014-2022, and 166 defended the country from the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022).