For a year now, Lviv has been holding a ceremony to mark memorable dates by awarding 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 Day of Ukrainian Statehood, the tenth ceremony took place, at which 30 Lviv residents who died at the hands of the occupiers were posthumously awarded with the insignia. The awards were presented to the families of the defenders.
“Today is the Day of Statehood. A state exists when people want it to exist. Your relatives did not just want it – they gave their lives for our country. And with such heavenly defenders, it will always be there.
It is our duty to remember everyone who gave their lives so that we could live in a free country. It is a great honour for me today to honour each and every Hero with the Order of St George – Roman Knight. May God grant all of us the strength and wisdom to face the challenges we face today with honour and dignity,” said Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi.
The awards were presented by: Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi; Commander of the Western Air Command, Major General Borys Genov; Head of the Western Territorial Directorate of the National Guard of Ukraine, Brigadier General Oleksandr Buravkov; Acting Head of the Western Regional Directorate of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Brigadier General Oleksandr Rybak; Head of the Lviv Regional Territorial Centre for Recruitment and Social Support, Colonel Denys Sakhatskyi.
The St. George’s Badge of Honour (posthumously) was awarded to:
1. Soldier Stanislav Hryhorash, a serviceman of the 80th separate Galician Air Assault Brigade of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He died defending Ukraine on 19 March 2022 in the village of Snihurivka, Mykolaiv region. His son Yurii received the award.
2. Junior Sergeant Andrii Shekin, a serviceman of the 80th separate Galician Air Assault Brigade of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He laid down his life for the independence of the state on 14 July 2022 in the village of Spirne, Donetsk region. His mother Liudmyla Anatoliivna received the award.
3. A serviceman of the 80th separate Galician Air Assault Brigade of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Junior Sergeant Oleksandr Brodovskyi. He died on 14 July 2022 in the village of Spirne, Donetsk region. His sister Liubov received the award.
4. 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 Serhii Kovaliov. He died in the fight against the invaders on 21 July, 2022 in the city of Kramatorsk, Donetsk region. His son Mykola received the award.
5. Captain Maksym Shamarov, 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 defending his homeland on 28 July 2022 in the town of Apostolove, Dnipro region. His mother Nadiia Oleksandrivna received the award.
6. 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 Rostyslav Zbryskyi. He died in the struggle for independence on 29 July 2022 near the village of Tymofiivka, Kharkiv region. His mother Daria Ivanivna received the award.
7. A serviceman of the 63rd separate mechanised brigade of the Reserve Corps of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, soldier Vasyl Yesteferov. He gave his life for Ukraine on 19 August 2022 in the village of Blahodatne, Mykolaiv region. His wife Oksana received the award.
8. 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 Pidhorodetskyi. He died on 9 September 2022 in the village of Velykopole, Mykolaiv region. His mother Iryna Vitaliivna received the award.
9. 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 Andrii Romaniv. He died heroically on 13 September 2022 near the village of Bruskinske, Kherson region. His wife Olha received the award.
10. Junior Sergeant Viktor Ushkov, a serviceman of the 80th separate Galician Air Assault Brigade of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He died on 21 September 2022 in a hospital in Kyiv as a result of severe injuries sustained in battle. His father Valerii Viktorovych received the award.
11. A soldier of the 103rd separate territorial defence brigade of the regional directorate ‘West’ of the Territorial Defence Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, soldier Oleksiy Kanin. He died on 23 September, 2022 in the village Dibrova, Donetsk region. His wife Khrystyna received the award.
12. A soldier of the 114th separate territorial defence brigade of the ‘North’ regional directorate of the Territorial Defence Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, soldier Kostiantyn Manko. He died on 26 September, 2022 in the village of Toretsk, Donetsk region. His wife Daryna received the award.
13. Sergeant Yevhen Soltys, 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 27 September 2022 near the village of Bezimenne, Kherson region. His sister Oksana received the award.
14. A serviceman of the 49th separate infantry battalion “Carpathian Sich” named after Oleg Kutsyn of the 93rd separate mechanised brigade “Kholodnyi Yar” of the operational command “East” of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Master Sergeant Yaroslav Yunyk. He died on 28 September 2022 near the village of Lyman, Donetsk region. His mother, Iryna Ivanivna, received the award.
15. Captain Oleksandr Shabanov, a serviceman of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He died under tragic circumstances on 29 September 2022 in the city of Rivne. His sister Daryna received the award.
16. 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 Andrii Kryzhanivskyi. He died on 1 October 2022 during the fighting in the village of Davydiv Brid, Kherson region. His father Taras Yaroslavovych received the award.
17. 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 Valeriy Khoroshev. He laid down his life for Ukraine on 6 October 2022 in the village of Bezymenne, Kherson region. His niece Tetiana received the award.
18. A serviceman of the 214th separate special OPFOR battalion of the International Peacekeeping and Security Centre of the Hetman Petro Sahaidachnyi National Army Academy, senior soldier Yurii Lenko. He gave his life for Ukraine on 9 October 2022 in the city of Bakhmut, Donetsk region. His mother Svitlana received the award.
19. A soldier of the 125th separate territorial defence brigade of the regional directorate “West” of the Territorial Defence Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, soldier Roman Chaban. He died in a battle against the occupier on 9 October 2022 near the village of Torske, Donetsk region. His wife Oksana received the award.
20. 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, senior soldier Yurii Osadchuk. He died in the fight against the enemy on 15 October 2022 in the village of Stelmakhivka, Luhansk region. His mother Lesia Stepanivna received the award.
21. Lieutenant Rostyslav Shyiko, 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 died on 15 October 2022 in the city of Popasna, Luhansk region. His daughters Anna and Yana received the award.
22. Captain Yurii Kostyk, a serviceman of the 80th separate Galician Air Assault Brigade of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He died defending his native land on 16 October 2022 in the village of Nyzhnia Zhuravka, Kharkiv region. His children Marta, Mykhailo and Danylo received the award.
23. A serviceman of the 63rd separate mechanised brigade of the Reserve Corps of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Junior Sergeant Serhii Stelmakhov. He died for Ukraine on 19 October 2022 near the village Pyatikhatky, Kherson region. His relative Natalia received the award.
24. 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, Chief Sergeant Oleksandr Kobernyk. He died in a battle with the invaders on 20 October 2022 in the village of Torske, Donetsk region. His wife Olena received the award.
25. 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, Staff Sergeant Volodymyr Kacharaba. He laid down his life for Independence on 20 October 2022 in the village of Yehorivka, Donetsk region. His son Andrii received the award.
26. Soldier Yurii Lun, a serviceman of the 80th separate Galician Air Assault Brigade of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He gave his life for the Motherland on 25 October, 2022 in the village of Nevske, Luhansk region. His father Yaroslav Ivanovych received the award.
27. A serviceman of the 46th separate assault battalion “Donbas” of the 54th separate mechanised brigade named after Hetman Ivan Mazepa of the operational command “East” of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Junior Sergeant Roman Denys. He died on 27 October 2022 in the village of Bilohorivka, Luhansk region. His wife Halyna received the award.
28. A soldier of the 125th separate territorial defence brigade of the regional directorate “West” of the Territorial Defence Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, soldier Andrii Biliak. He died in a battle against the invaders on 29 October 2022 in the village of Yampolivka, Donetsk region. His daughter Diana received the award.
29. A soldier of the 81st separate airmobile Slobozhanska brigade of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, soldier Oleksii Degtyarev. He gave his life for Ukraine on 29 October 2022 near the village of Bilohorivka, Luhansk region. His wife Oksana and daughter Sofia received the award.
30. A soldier of the 45th separate artillery brigade of the Reserve Corps of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, soldier Taras-Tymofii Havrylyshyn. He died in a battle against the invaders on 11 November 2022 in the village of Novooleksandrivka, Kherson region. His mother Olha Vasylivna received the award.
“Today, once again, I want to assure you that every day in the Garrison Church we say a prayer for all our Heroes who gave their lives for Ukraine, for all of us. We ask the people in the church to make the soldiers who are in the sky today dear to everyone, to the whole of Ukraine, so that no one will ever forget them,” said Father Taras Mikhalchuk, rector of the Garrison Church in Lviv.
Afterwards, the memory of all the fallen Heroes was honoured with a joint prayer. The ceremony was concluded with the spiritual hymn “O Great One God…”. The event was accompanied by the music of the Gomin Municipal Choir, and an honour guard was on duty during the ceremony.
As a reminder, the St George’s Badge of Honour is a Lviv city award given 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 decoration is awarded 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 – 26 servicemen were awarded (posthumously). On the occasion of the 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 the City 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. Also, on 28 June, on the Day of the Constitution of Ukraine, 30 Lviv residents were awarded (posthumously). And today, on the Day of Ukrainian Statehood, another 30 Lviv residents were awarded (posthumously).
This makes a total of 260 Lviv defenders who have been posthumously awarded this medal (64 of them defended Ukraine in 2014-2022, and 196 defended the country from the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022).