Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has praised the country’s Airborne Assault Forces for their role in key battles against Russian forces, saying a recent offensive in the Oleksandrivskyi sector helped Ukraine regain more than 800 square kilometres of territory.
In a statement, Zelenskyy recalled the force’s involvement in battles across the Donetsk and Luhansk regions following Russia’s aggression in 2014, including operations in Slovyansk, Kramatorsk, Debaltseve and at the Donetsk and Luhansk airports.
He said the paratroopers played a crucial role in defending Kyiv and Mykolaiv after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, as well as in operations in the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions.
Zelenskyy also credited them with contributing to the Kharkiv offensive, the liberation of parts of the Kherson region and Ukraine’s 2024 Kursk operation, which took ground combat into Russian territory.
The president honoured paratroopers with state awards and presented military units with battle flags and honorary ribbons, thanking them for their service.
