Zaluzhny and Budanov were awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has conferred the title of Hero of Ukraine on former AFU commander-in-chief Valeriy Zaluzhnyy and the head of the Defence Ministry's GUR, Kyrylo Budanov. This is stated in the relevant decrees published on the website of the President.

Decree No. 61/2024:

For outstanding personal merits in defence of state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, selfless service to the Ukrainian people I decree:

To confer the title of Hero of Ukraine with the award of the Order "Gold Star" to ZALUZHNOM Valery Fedorovich ZALUZHNOM - General.

Decree No. 57/2024:

For personal courage and heroism shown in defence of state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, selfless service to the Ukrainian people, I hereby decree:

To confer the title Hero of Ukraine with the award of the Order "Gold Star" BUDANOV Kirill Alekseevich BUDANOV - Lieutenant General.

We shall remind you that on 8 February, Zelenskyy dismissed Zaluzhny from the post of the AFU commander-in-chief and appointed the commander of the AFU Ground Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyy, to this post.