President Volodymyr Zelensky honored soldiers, medics, energy workers and other civilians with state awards on Ukrainian Statehood Day, personally presenting the Order of the “Golden Star” to the mother of a fallen Hero of Ukraine who received the title posthumously. Zelensky announced the ceremony in a statement on Wednesday, listing former Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal, French Ambassador to Ukraine Gaël Veyssière, historian Natalia Yakovenko, writer and serviceman Illarion Pavliuk, and publisher Anton Martynov among those decorated. JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “On the occasion of Ukrainian Statehood Day, I honored our people whose work helps Ukraine hold its ground and preserve our independence,” Zelensky said, adding that “Ukraine stands on the people who defend, rescue, rebuild, and work for it every day.” Passports for 10 young Ukrainians Zelensky also personally handed out Ukrainian passports to 10 young citizens, including children of fallen and captured defenders as well as winners of sports competitions. The gesture is part of a broader effort by Kyiv to formally recognize young people affected by the war and those representing Ukraine on the international stage. Most recently, 200 children of servicemen, police officers and rescuers from the Kharkiv region took part in this year’s “Carpathian Change” on July 9, a recovery project initiated by Zelensky to help children from frontline regions recover in a safe environment. The program combines rest, psychological support, and sports to ease the trauma of war.