Ukraine awards Spanish Chief of Defence Staff Cross of Merit
Chief of the Defence Staff of the Kingdom of Spain, Admiral General Teodoro Esteban López Calderón, has been awarded the Cross of Merit, the highest honorary award of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ukrainian General Staff said.
"In Madrid, the Chief of the Defence Staff of the Kingdom of Spain, Admiral General Teodoro Esteban López Calderón, was presented with the Ukrainian Cross of Merit. The award was handed over by Ukraine's Ambassador to Spain, Yulia Sokolovska, during a ceremony at the Embassy of Ukraine," the General Staff said on its Telegram channel.
Calderón was honored for "productive cooperation in the field of defense and Spain's active support for Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's aggression."
In addition, 33 Spanish servicemen were awarded the Distinction of Honour for Assistance to the Army for their significant contribution to the training of Ukrainian soldiers under the European Union Military Assistance Mission to Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine).
"Spain plays an important role in this mission, providing the Armed Forces of Ukraine with both military equipment and personnel training. As of today, more than 8,500 Ukrainian servicemen have completed training in Spain, which accounts for about 10% of the total number of troops trained within this European mission," the General Staff said.