During a visit to Turkey, Head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak, on behalf of President Volodymyr Zelensky, presented the Order of the Golden Star to five servicemen – defenders of Mariupol and Azovstal, who were awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine.

According to the President's Office, the President awarded the highest state award to commander of the Azov separate special purpose regiment of the National Guard Denys Prokopenko (call sign Redis), his deputy Sviatoslav Palamar, acting commander of the 36th separate brigade of marines Serhiy Volynsky (call sign Volyna), senior officer of Azov Oleh Khomenko and commander of the 12th brigade of the National Guard Denys Shleha.

The awarding ceremony took place during the meeting of Andriy Yermak and First Lady Olena Zelenska with Azovstal defenders and members of their families in Türkiye.

"The units you led made an invaluable contribution to the future victory of Ukraine. You and your subordinates managed to bind the enormous forces of the enemy. Forces that were lacking for the occupation of larger territories," Andriy Yermak said, presenting the order to Denys Prokopenko.

During the meeting, a video call by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky was held. The Head of State congratulated the servicemen and thanked them for performing an important combat mission on the defense of Mariupol.

The President's wife conveyed to the defenders and their families a blessing from His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, whom she met the day before in Istanbul.

The defenders of Azovstal asked to hand over to Volodymyr Zelensky the flag of Ukraine with the signatures and wishes of five commanders and the motto "There is no glory without a fight."