Zelensky posthumously awards nation’s highest title to Parubiy, Afanasiev, Chubenko and Vakulenko

President Volodymyr Zelensky has posthumously awarded Andriy Parubiy, Hennadii Afanasiev, Stepan Chubenko, and Volodymyr Vakulenko the title of Hero of Ukraine as “defenders of the idea of Ukraine.”

The head of state announced this on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

“Today, I signed decrees awarding the title of Hero of Ukraine to four more Ukrainians – tragically, posthumously: Andriy Parubiy, Hennadii Afanasiev, Stepan Chubenko, and Volodymyr Vakulenko. These were special people. And they too were defenders – defenders of the idea of Ukraine, of our independence,” Zelensky emphasized.

He noted that since the beginning of the full-scale war, the highest title of Hero of Ukraine has been awarded only to warriors – Ukrainians who have distinguished themselves in extraordinary ways in combat, in defending the state, its positions, and its people. “722 such warriors have already become Heroes of Ukraine, 445 of them posthumously,” the President said.

According to him, today, “on Defenders’ Day, on the Feast of the Intercession, we are expanding yet another of our traditions of respect and gratitude.”

Recalling Parubiy, Afanasiev, Chubenko, and Vakulenko, Zelensky pointed out that their lives were different and they came from different parts of the country – Lviv region, Crimea, Donetsk region, and Kharkiv region. “But each of them has now become, for many, an embodiment of that very Ukraine which has shown its character and stood firm against Russia,” the head of state stressed.

As reported by Ukrinform, today, October 1, President Volodymyr Zelensky awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine to 11 servicemen, four of them posthumously.

Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine