President Zelensky Awards Fallen Soldiers With 'Hero Of Ukraine' Title

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky conferred the "Hero of Ukraine" title — the highest national title he can bestow to citizens — to several Ukrainian soldiers who died in Russia's invasion.

The title was posthumously awarded to Lt. Col. Dmytro Vasiliev, SSgt. Andriy Ivashko, Capt. Serhii Parkhomenka, CSgt. Andrii Khanin, MSgt. Vladyslav Buvalkin, MSgt. Oleksandr Makarenko and Col. Vitaly Kucheryavy, according to a statement released by the head of state's office.

Zelensky presented Orders of the Gold Star to the seven deceased soldiers' families during a ceremony that took place Sunday in the White Hall of Heroes of Ukraine in the head of state's ceremonial residence, the Mariinskyi Palace located in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

"They stayed in the battle forever. But they live in the memory of their relatives, their Ukraine, and will definitely live in our history - the history of the victory of our state, which will definitely come," Zelensky said during the ceremony.

"We will do everything to make the story of each soldier known to all Ukrainians, all Europeans, and all over the world. People should appreciate what our defenders have done and are doing, it must be remembered and respected," he said.

Oleksiy Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Vaerly Zaluzhny, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and Oleksiy Reznikov, Ukraine's defense minister, among other officials, attended Sunday's ceremony.

The day marked the Day of Remembrance of the Defenders of Ukraine, a holiday that Zelensky established three years ago in memory of the events of the Aug. 29, 2014 incident in Ilovaisk, Donetsk, that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers.

Under Ukrainian law, the "Hero of Ukraine" title can only be granted to civilians who received the Order of the State or to members of the military who were given the Order of the Gold Star for "a remarkable heroic act or remarkable labor achievement."

Vasiliev, one of the soldiers recently conferred with the "Hero of Ukraine" title, died in Ukraine's now mostly-occupied Zaporizhzhia on March 19 after strikes from his missile division destroyed "a significant number of [Russian] forces," according to the statement provided by Zelensky's office.

Another recipient, Ivashko, allegedly died issuing combat information about Russian positions while at his post on Feb. 24, the day Russia launched its invasion.

The Ukrainian government last provided an official death toll from Russia's invasion back in early June when Zelensky's aide Oleksiy Arestovych claimed around 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers died in the first 100 days of the conflict.

Between 100 and 200 Ukrainian troops were dying on the front line every day at the time, Mykhaylo Podolyak, another presidential aide, revealed later that month.