Zelenskyy asks Cabinet to process Hero of Ukraine title for Stepan Hiha – official

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has requested the Cabinet of Ministers to process a submission for awarding the title of "Hero of Ukraine" (posthumously) to People’s Artist Stepan Hiha.

In his response to the petition, Zelenskyy thanked those who supported the initiative to honor the memory of the prominent Ukrainian artist. He stated that he has requested Prime Minister Y. A. Svyrydenko to process the issue raised and submit relevant proposals in the established order. However, the president noted that an electronic petition does not serve as a direct basis for awarding the Hero of Ukraine title.

Stepan Hiha died on December 12, 2025, at the age of 66 in Lviv following an illness. Born in the village of Bilky in the Zakarpattia region in 1959, he released his first solo album in 1995. He was named a Merited Artist of Ukraine in 1998 and received the title of People’s Artist in 2002. His most famous works include "Natalia’s Street," "This Dream," "Yavoryna," and "Gold of the Carpathians".

In February 2026, a separate petition on the Kyiv City Council website to rename a street in the capital in honor of Stepan Hiha failed to gather the necessary votes. On March 29, the petition on the president’s official website calling for the posthumous "Hero of Ukraine" title reached the required number of signatures for consideration.