page_title: Hero of Ukraine
section_title: Recipients
hierarchical_section_title: Hero of Ukraine / Recipients
caption_attribution_description: English: President Poroshenko handing the medal of Hero of Ukraine and the Order of the State to Filaret (Denysenko).&#91;1&#93; See also Poroshenko's tweet.&#91;2&#93;
context_page_description: Hero of Ukraine is the highest national title that can be conferred upon an individual citizen by the President of Ukraine. The title was created in 1998 by President Leonid Kuchma and as of 22 August 2020 the total number of awards is 466. The title is granted to two different order recipients, a civilian Order of State and a military Order of Gold Star. The first foreigner awarded the award was Belarusian Mikhail Zhyzneuski in June 2017.
context_section_description: Recipients have been awarded the Hero of Ukraine title for a variety of accomplishments. The first to receive the title — in 1998 – was Borys Paton. He was recognised for studies in metallurgy of electrical welding and has been President of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine since 1962. Other science-related honors were given to Platon Kostyuk, for his work in neurophysiology, and Valerii Kazakov for his work in medicine,
  The title is often awarded to athletes and other sports-related personalities. Vitali Klitschko, a heavyweight boxing champion was given the level "Order of the Gold Star" in 2004 as was Andriy Shevchenko, 2004 European Footballer of the Year and two-time winner of the Serie A scoring title. Valeriy Lobanovskyi, the former coach of the football club FC Dynamo Kyiv, died on 13 May 2002 in hospital after he passed out during a game. He was awarded the title two days later for his years of service to Ukraine for the development of football inside the nation and also improving national prestige."
  Olympic medalists are also prominent winners. Yana Klochkova, who won gold medals in swimming at the Athens and Sydney Olympic Games was awarded the title "in recognition of Klochkova's outstanding services to Ukraine and her efforts to build up the country's reputation in the Olympic arena."
  People involved in the arts and literature have also received the award. Renowned Ukrainian composer, Oleksandr Bilash, was awarded in 2001 for outstanding personal contribution to the enrichment of the spiritual treasures of the Ukrainian people and many years of fruitful creative activity. Sofia Rotaru, arguably the best-known popular singer from Ukraine in the former Soviet Union, received her award "for outstanding personal merits in the sphere of art". Writer Pavlo Zahrebelnyi was awarded for "self-sacrifice for Ukraine, and for many years of writing and significant personal contributions toward the enrichment of the national spiritual treasury" in 2004. Writers involved in politics are not excluded either; Georgiy Gongadze a journalist who was kidnapped and murdered in 2000, was awarded in 2005.
  Belarusian Mikhail Zhyzneuski became the first foreigner awarded the award in June 2017. Zhyzneuski was one of the first protesters killed during the Euromaidan protests; he was shot dead on 22 January 2014.
  For "his outstanding historical role in the establishment of the independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine, activities aimed at reviving the spirituality of the Ukrainian people, raising the authority of Orthodoxy, establishing ideals of mercy and interfaith harmony" and because he "was, is and remains the spiritual leader of the Ukrainian church, the spiritual leader of the Ukrainian people", Patriarch Filaret received the award on 8 January 2019. On 22 January, on the Ukrainian Unity Day, President Petro Poroshenko handed the medal to Filaret.
caption: President Poroshenko handing the medal of Hero of Ukraine and the Order of the State to Filaret.
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