Zelensky awarded Hero of Ukraine who amputated his leg himself to continue fighting

President Volodymyr Zelensky awarded state honors to 25 paratroopers and handed the battle flag and the ribbon of the honorary unit name to the DShV units on the occasion of Paratroopers' and Assault Forces Day. This is reported by Glavkom with reference to the Office of the President.

“Members of the Paratroopers and Assault Forces took part in operations in Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Shakhtarske, Debaltseve, Liman, in Savur-Mohyla, at Donetsk and Luhansk airports, in other parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. After the full-scale Russian invasion, Ukrainian paratroopers became one of the main defenses of Ukraine’s independence and a completely justified return of the war to Russia. The Paratroopers and Assault Forces participated in the defense of Kyiv, the defense of Mykolaiv, in the most difficult battles in Donetsk and Kharkiv regions, in the liberation of the right-bank part of Kherson region, in the operation in Kursk region, which for the first time transferred hostilities to Russian territory,” emphasized the Office of the President.

The President noted the contribution of the Paratroopers and Assault Forces to the successful operation on the Oleksandrivka direction, which gave Ukraine the opportunity to regain over 800 square kilometers of territory.

The head of state stressed that Ukraine honors and remembers all soldiers who gave their lives in the struggle for their country. Those present paid tribute with a moment of silence.

The President awarded the orders “Golden Star” to Heroes of Ukraine. The highest state award was conferred upon:

Sergeant Oleksiy Kapelyushny. Carried out combat missions in Donetsk region: with the help of an RPG-7 destroyed enemy equipment and personnel. 18 March 2022 year, together with other soldiers, he found himself surrounded, where they organized a circular defense in one of the houses. After the deaths of all comrades, he continued to fight, but as a result of a grenade explosion he sustained severe injuries and a leg fracture, which he subsequently had to amputate himself. Oleksiy Kapelyushny was taken prisoner, but 29 June 2022 year he managed to return home.

Soldier Yuriy Holubchenko. Carried out combat missions on positions in Donetsk region for almost 200 days and during this time destroyed about 100 occupiers. From February to August he participated in assault and stabilization actions, was surrounded, evacuated wounded comrades. In particular, 25 April, as part of a unit, during a four-hour battle against enemies five times larger in force, halted the enemy’s advance. 30 July Yuriy Holubchenko was wounded, but after treatment returned to service.

Two more soldiers were awarded the presidential distinction “Cross of Military Valor”:

Soldier Vitaliy Musiyenko. For more than 50 days carried out combat tasks on positions in Donetsk region, repelled over 10 enemy assaults and destroyed 17 occupiers. In particular, 15 July, sheltering behind dense fog, with mortar support, the enemy stormed a position from several directions. Vitaliy Musiyenko let an enemy group come close and, with a grenade throw, eliminated three occupiers. Two more enemy assault groups were destroyed by striking drones, and the enemy retreated.

Captain Vasyl Klyuba. This year under his command more than 30 Russian artillery guns were destroyed, more than 25 enemy gathering points, eight vehicles and 12 drone-control antennas.

The President awarded the soldiers orders of Bohdan Khmelnytsky I-II degrees, “For Courage” I-II degrees, as well as medals “For Military Service to Ukraine” and “Defender of the Fatherland.” In addition, the head of state presented the battle flag 147-th separate artillery brigade and the ribbon of the honorary name “named after Hetman Bohdan Ruzynskyi” 132-th separate reconnaissance battalion.

It should be noted that at the beginning of October, the paratrooper 25 of the separate air-landing Sicheslavskaya brigade 7 of the DShV corps, Sergeant Oleksiy Kapelyushny, was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine. In March 2022 year, in Verkhnotoretske, while surrounded and defending in a burning building, Oleksiy sustained a severe injury. To continue fighting and save his life, he amputated the damaged leg himself. After Oleksiy got out of the blaze, he survived a close-range gunshot to the head and ended up in Russian captivity.

As a reminder, 8 November Ukraine honored the heroism and resilience of the elite of the Armed Forces – the Paratroopers and Assault Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The holiday honors the heroism, courage, and devotion of the paratrooper soldiers who ensure our country’s security and defense.