"Double standards": why Zelensky stripped Bohuslaiev of the title of Hero, but Boiko – not

"Double standards": why Zelensky stripped Bohuslaiev of the title of Hero, but Boiko – not

Since Ukraine regained independence, presidents, consciously or not, have moved, inertia-like, under the Soviet tradition – awarding state awards and even the highest title of Hero of Ukraine to rather dubious individuals.

Often these were "red directors" who became monopolists in a certain sector of the economy or after the collapse of the Soviet Union continued to lead critically important state enterprises. However, ideologically and politically these people had a long-standing anti-Ukrainian stance, nostalgic for the Soviet Union or dreaming of a new "Russian world" and propagating Moscow's imperial policy, writes for Ukrayinska Pravda parliamentary analyst of the CHEST movement Oleksandr Saliženko, information UAINFO.org.

One of the most striking examples is former head of Motor Sich, deputy of several convocations, regionalist Vyacheslav Bohuslaiev, who is currently accused of cooperation with the aggressor state and collabouration.

Recently, according to media information, Bohuslaiev appealed to the head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak with a statement asking to include him in the exchange lists with the RF. Full absurdity. A person who until April this year held the highest title of Hero of Ukraine is asking for an exchange (in the status of a prisoner of war, like another traitor Viktor Medvedchuk?) to the occupying country.

Unfortunately, among the list of persons who received the highest award of Ukraine, there are also several outright collaborators. In particular, after the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war in 2014 year some of them supported the annexation of Crimea and Donbas, such as late ex-deputies Boris Deich or Mykola Bagrov.

But there are living traitors with the title of Hero of Ukraine. It should be noted that this title confers a range of privileges and a pension supplement. After the annexation of Crimea these privileges were formally kept by the Russian Federation for Ukrainian heroes.

Among the figures in the Register of State Traitors who have the title of Hero of Ukraine are not only politicians but also clergy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) who were engaged in political activity. In particular, the vicar of the Chernivtsi eparchy, the abbot of the Bannerzhnyi Monastery of the UOC (MP) Mikhail Zhar (Longin), who was a volunteer assistant to MP Nikolai Romanyuk (Party of Regions). He has now been charged with inciting interreligious hatred. During the liturgy he called the Orthodox Church of Ukraine the "church of the Antichrist" and "satanic".

Moreover, to complete the absurdity of the situation, it is worth recalling that one of the leaders of the banned pro-Russian party OPZZh Yuri Boiko remains in the highest legislative body of the state, who even after the full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine appeared on air to Vladimir Solovyov, has the title of Hero of Ukraine and the order "State" from President Leonid Kuchma.

This list of state traitors who have the title Hero of Ukraine is not exhaustive. CHEST movement continues to fill the Register of State Traitors and will check each person not only for treason or collaboration, but also for the presence of the title of Hero of Ukraine.

Unfortunately, the situation with Yuri Boiko was not influenced by media coverage, nor by a petition and the reaction to it from President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. Moreover, if at the beginning of the IX convocation there were three deputies with the title Hero of Ukraine – Boiko and two military – then recently Lieutenant General and former commander of the Air Assault Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Mykhailo Zabrodsky (European Solidarity) resigned his mandate early to defend the country.

Another Hero of Ukraine in the parliament remains the former commander 5 of the 5th Battalion Tactical Group 81 of the Air Assault Forces Igor Gerasimenko (Servant of the People). Zabrodsky and Gerasimenko received the title Hero of Ukraine with the award of the Order of the Gold Star, with almost identical wording: "for exceptional personal courage and heroism demonstrated in defending the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, selfless service to the Ukrainian people".

As of May 2023, decrees appointing the title Hero of Ukraine 717 to persons, 409 awarded during life, 308 posthumously have been published. Posthumous Hero of Ukraine titles are usually awarded to those who died in battle for Ukraine. A number of real heroes died after the full-scale invasion of Russia, including some of the youngest Heroes of Ukraine – Dmytro Kotsiubailo (Da Vinci), Andriy Verkhoglyad (Livshha), Taras Bobanych (Hammer) and many others.

And living Hero titles for Yuri Boiko or Mykhailo Zhar devalue this highest state award.

Notably, in response to a petition about Boiko Zelensky addressed to Shmyhal asking to analyze grounds for imposing sanctions. Almost a month later Denys Shmyhal sent Zelensky a reply stating that there are currently not enough grounds for sanctions against Yuri Boiko.

After this scandalous reply the prime minister understood reputational risks. But instead of supporting the Lozinsky Law draft № 6163, which already awaits a second reading, Shmyhal submitted his own, as well as those of the factions "EU", "Voice" and the group PZHM. MP Hryhoriy Mamka in his bill even proposes stripping state awards only from persons who committed grave crimes, not through sanctions.

If Mamka's initiative had became law, the president would not be able by his decree to deprive Bohuslaiev of the title Hero of Ukraine: there is no court verdict yet and only sanctions apply. Thus, the fact that deputies from the former OPZZh are still in parliament gives them the opportunity to continue promoting legislative initiatives favorable to pro-Russian forces.

CHEST movement sees double standards in Boiko remaining a Hero of Ukraine while Bohuslaiev has a presidential decree. It turns out that where cooperation with OPZZh is unnecessary and there is an accused state traitor, political decision is made quickly. And when the head of the Servant of the People party Olena Shuliak and the head of the faction Davyd Arahamiya unjustifiably justify cooperation with the former OPZZh, it is clear that the "hero" Boiko will not be under sanctions or deprived of the title.

Here it is important to understand the role of OPZZh in parliament – these are the "saviors on call", without whom not a single 9% of bills would have been passed. And the quality of these projects is quite doubtful – the controversial urban planning "reform", the abolition of the lifelong status for political financial monitoring, etc. This significantly hinders Ukraine's European integration.

Obviously, in the conditions of full-scale invasion, the time has come to finally put an end to the inertia of Soviet traditions.

Recently, President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed changes to the Statute of the Hero of Ukraine title, according to which the prior consideration of submissions for the highest state title would be carried out by an expert group under the Commission on State Awards and Heraldry. At the same time, the authorities should conduct an audit of already conferred state decorations and deprive the titles from individuals who are representatives of the interests of the aggressor country.

Some of them could form the "golden portion" of the exchange fund for returning Ukrainian soldiers from captivity. Moreover, the Ukrainian authorities must ensure that in the future there are no shameful facts when the highest state title is held by both true combat heroes and political opportunists and traitors. So that any state award is not discredited by such persons, but is an expression of honor and genuine recognition.

Obviously, the state must once and for all put an end to the issue of bestowing the highest state award. An open independent nomination mechanism and expert discussion are needed – without political maneuvering, dependence on political will, and manual regulation by the President's Office.