President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has awarded the honorary distinction «For Courage and Bravery» to five units of the Defence Forces. The recipients were the 141st and 22nd Separate Mechanised Brigades of the Army, the 11th Brigade of the National Guard, the 24th Separate Aviation Squadron and the 26th Border Guard Detachment of the State Border Guard Service. The relevant decrees, dated 31 July, were published on the President’s website.
Briefly about the main points
- The Presidential Award has been conferred on five units of the Defence Forces.
- Among those honoured were two separate mechanised brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
- The 11th Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard has been honoured.
- The award was presented to an air squadron and a border guard detachment of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.
- The award honours courage and heroism in the defence of Ukraine.
Who was honoured by presidential decrees?
In accordance with Decree No. 682/2026, the 141st Separate Mechanised Brigade of the Army was awarded an honorary distinction. Decree No. 683/2026 awarded the honour to the 22nd Separate Mechanised Mykolaiv Brigade.
The award was also conferred upon the 11th Mykhailo Hrushevsky Brigade of the National Guard — Decree No. 684/2026. Decrees No. 685/2026 and No. 686/2026 awarded the 24th Separate Aviation Squadron and the 26th Border Detachment of the State Border Guard Service.
How the honorary award works
The decrees state that the units were established to honour, in a fitting manner, the courage and heroism displayed in the defence of Ukraine’s state sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
«For Valour and Bravery» is a collective honour awarded to a military unit, rather than an individual award for a service member. It was established by presidential decree in May 2022 for units of the Defence Forces in recognition of exceptional combat merit and the successful completion of combat or special operations.
A double-sided ribbon is attached to the staff of the award-winning unit’s battle flag, and its service personnel are entitled to wear the corresponding sleeve badge. The current list covers the Army, the National Guard and the State Border Guard Service, including its aviation and border units.
Commemorating the units of the Defence Forces
Two Army brigades were awarded an honourable distinction ARMED FORCES OF UKRAINE, a National Guard unit, an aviation squadron and a State Border Guard Service detachment.
