In Lviv, 30 fallen defenders of Ukraine were honored with the ‘St. George’s Honorary Badge’.
In Lviv, on the occasion of Heroes’ Day, the 22nd award ceremony took place – the ‘St. George’s Honorary Badge’ (posthumously), for the defenders who since 2014 and during the full-scale war defended Ukraine from Russian aggression. The badge was awarded to 30 warriors who died defending Ukraine. The awards were handed over to their families.
In the session hall of the Lviv City Council, the flags of all military structures were traditionally placed, and a candle of memory was lit – a symbol of eternal respect for the Heroes. The event began with the performance of the National Anthem of Ukraine and a moment of silence.
Major General Valery Vavrynyuk – Head of the Western Regional Administration of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, took part in the award ceremony.
Among the awardees were two fallen soldiers from the 7th Carpathian Border Detachment: Sergeant Andriy Matys died on April 21, 2023, near Bakhmut due to artillery shelling. The shrapnel wounds were fatal. The badge was received by the widow Yulia and the son of the deceased.
Junior Sergeant Volodymyr Hrabovskyi died on May 19, 2023, in the Bakhmut area during an airstrike. His life was cut short by the injuries received. The award was accepted by the wife Kateryna and son.
After the awards ceremony, all attendees joined in a common prayer for the souls of the fallen Heroes. The ceremony concluded with the performance of the spiritual anthem ‘Oh God, Great and One…’.
It should be noted that the ‘St. George’s Honorary Badge’ is an award of the Lviv City Council, granted for exceptional merits to the city. The badge is depicted as a cross with a circle featuring the image of St. George – the patron of the city of Lviv.
This award honors Lviv residents and soldiers of Lviv units who gave their lives for the freedom of Ukraine. The award ceremonies are timed to important state and national holidays.