Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited wounded soldiers in a Kyiv hospital Sunday, awarding them with medals for their courage.
Zelensky posed for photos with the soldiers, as seen in a video shared on Twitter.
President Zelensky walked to a hospital today to visit wounded Ukrainian soldiers and award them with state honors for their sacrifices. pic.twitter.com/LI0JScdkX7
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) March 13, 2022
“Guys, get well soon,” Zelensky told the soldiers. “I believe that the best gift for your statement will be our common victory.”
The video also showed the Ukrainian president walking through the streets of Kyiv, surrounded by officials, before greeting hospital employees.
Zelensky awarded 106 state service members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, according to Pravda, saying they “bravely proved themselves in the battles for Ukraine’s independence. 17 of them, unfortunately – posthumously.”
Президент України Володимир Зеленський відвідав у госпіталі поранених захисників України ??
? «Хлопці, швидше одужуйте. Вірю: найкращим подарунком до вашої виписки буде наша спільна перемога!» – зазначив @ZelenskyyUa pic.twitter.com/lHYZJHWvp8
— Defence of Ukraine (@DefenceU) March 13, 2022
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Ukrainian Sgt. Derusova Inna Nikolaevna, a senior combat medic, was one of the 17 honored after her death. She is the first woman to be awarded the “Hero of Ukraine” title posthumously.
“She saved more than 10 servicemen, risking her own life,” Zelensky said. “She died from artillery shelling by Russian troops, helping the wounded. The first woman Hero of Ukraine, who was posthumously awarded this title.”
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Despite Russian forces continuing their advance toward Kyiv, Zelensky said Ukraine will not surrender. This comes as Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Russia kidnapped a second Ukrainian mayor, Yevhen Matveyev, the mayor of Dniprorudne.
