Why doesn’t Zelensky revoke the title of Hero of Ukraine and other awards from state traitors?

A complex situation arises regarding the awarding of state awards, which could harm national security and detract from the exploits of our military. Over the years, certain individuals have acted treacherously to pave the way for a Russian invasion. It is extremely unacceptable that they should be awarded on a par with real heroes who, defending our country, gave their lives in battles with the occupiers.

President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky did not deprive anyone of the title of Hero of Ukraine in 2022-2023. This is stated in the response of the President's Office to the request of the HONEST Movement.

At the same time, the presidential decrees on the application of personal sanctions for a period of ten years to individuals have a separate clause that provides for the deprivation of state awards of Ukraine and other forms of awards.

For example, in Appendix No. 1 to the presidential decree of April 1, 2023, a list of sanctioned persons was published, among which, under No. 194, there is ex-regional, people’s deputy of the 5-8 convocations and ex-president of Motor Sich PJSC Vyacheslav Boguslaev, who is in custody on suspicion of collaboration and aiding the aggressor state.

In the list of types of restrictive measures against Boguslaev, there is a separate clause on the deprivation of state awards of Ukraine and other forms of awards.

The HONEST movement has repeatedly written that the legal conflict that has developed with state awards threatens national security and devalues ​​the exploits of the military. Traitors who spent years preparing the ground for a Russian invasion cannot be rewarded on the same level as heroes who gave their lives in battles with the occupiers.

Thus, many of those on the Register of Traitors still have state awards. In particular, Yuriy Boyko has the title of Hero of Ukraine. Dmitry Tabachnik was awarded the Order of Bohdan Khmelnitsky, Ilya Kiva - the Order of Daniil Galitsky, Mykola Azarov, Alexander Efremov, Viktor Medvedchuk - the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise. Some of these individuals have been found guilty by the court or are suspected by law enforcement agencies of crimes against national security.

According to Article 16 of the Law “On State Awards of Ukraine”, the president can deprive state awards only if the recipient has been convicted of a serious crime. To do this, the court must send a representation to the president, and the commission of state awards and heraldry must prepare appropriate petitions for the deprivation of state awards.

Very often, criminal proceedings last for years, and during this time the person continues to own awards. A striking example is the case of Oleg Tsarev. In 2014, the prosecutor's office began criminal proceedings against him under the article of encroachment on territorial integrity. Only in 2023 did the court find the ex-regional guilty. In March 2023, the Shevchenkovsky District Court of Kyiv appealed to the president with a proposal to deprive Tsarev of a state award. However, on the president’s website, analysts of the HONESTLY Movement did not find a published order to deprive Tsarev of the Order of Merit.

To simplify the procedure for depriving state awards, at the end of 2021, people's deputies submitted bill No. 6163. According to the draft, it is proposed to submit for consideration to the president a proposal to deprive a state award in cases where the recipient justifies armed aggression against Ukraine, annexation of territory, has connections with occupation forces, or propagates the organs of the aggressor state and its officials.

However, parliamentarians have not yet considered the bill in the second reading, although the Committee on National Security and Defense recommended that the Verkhovna Rada adopt it.

The movement HONESTLY notes the importance of not only depriving state awards of traitors and collaborators, but also getting rid of the Soviet approach to awards. The image of the Hero has long been transformed in society; it is time to change the procedure for selecting and presenting individuals for awards. The mechanism must be transparent, with clearly developed criteria for nomination, with the involvement of independent experts.