They protect, rescue, educate, support, and create new opportunities—these are the very people who were honored at the awards ceremony for the regional “Young Person of the Year – 2026” competition.
This year, 88 winners were selected from among 164 nominees in 11 categories. They include military personnel, veterans, rescue workers, police officers, medical professionals, educators, volunteers, youth leaders, cultural figures, and administrators—those who, through their daily efforts, keep the Donetsk region going.
The winners were congratulated by Vadym Filashkin, head of the Donetsk Regional State Administration. Honored guests of the event also joined in the awards ceremony and congratulations: the heads of the regional departments of the State Emergency Service, the National Police, and the Security Service of Ukraine—Yakov Nemikin, Mykola Matvienko, and Oleksandr Pikhot, Acting Commander of the “East” Operational Command, Brigadier General Serhiy Perets; “Azov” veteran Vladyslav Dutchak; cardiac surgeon Dmytro Uzun; and the head of “DTEK Donetsk Power Grids,” Oleksiy Degtyarev.
Joining them in presenting the awards were leaders of the humanitarian front—Yevhen Kolyada, head of the Humanitarian Coordination Center; Lyubov Berezhna, head of the regional Red Cross; and Tetiana Marena, acting rector of Mariupol State University.
Creative performances by Ukrainian artists set a special mood for the event. The formal portion of the program was opened by Yulia Korolyova, the lead singer of the “Toward the Sun” concert and field band of the Military Band of the “East” Operational Command, who performed the Ukrainian national anthem and “Prayer for Ukraine” a cappella. The guests were also entertained by songs from Kirill Pariyenko, a finalist in the 2025 Junior Eurovision Song Contest, and Ksenia Silaeva, a singer from Dobropillia. At the end of the event, young vocalist Kateryna Akulova performed the closing song, during which all the contest nominees came on stage for a group photo.
The “Heart of Victory” nomination is dedicated to the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, the State Border Guard Service, and the Territorial Defense Forces. By decision of the contest’s Expert Council, all 12 nominees were declared winners:
- Maksym Abramov—military chaplain of Military Unit 3035
- Roman Babenko – Chief of Communications and Cybersecurity for a mechanized battalion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
- Andriy Zhilin – a defender from the Novodonetsk community
- Kira Zhurba — female service member of the 63rd Separate Mechanized Brigade “Steel Lions”
- Vitaliy Kolomiets — veteran of the 54th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
- Anastasia Kudinova - operator of Vampire heavy strike drones with the 119th Special Operations Brigade
- Yelyzaveta Kukovska - member of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
- Roman Mishchenko - commander of a special operations company
- Pavlo Panchokha – Master Sergeant of the Operational Battalion of the 18th Slovyansk Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine
- Vladyslav Sotnyk – Servicemember of the Special Operations Center
- Vladyslav Tur – Unmanned Systems Operator
- Anastasia Shabanets – Master Sergeant, commander of the Heavy Shot crew within the 109th Brigade’s Air Defense Artillery Unit
The “Unbreakable Will” category brought together stories of people who endured captivity, injuries, occupation, and heavy losses, yet found the strength to work and help others. By decision of the competition’s Expert Council, all nine nominees were declared winners:
- Vyacheslav Goryan — defender of Ukraine, massage therapist and rehabilitation specialist
- Dmytro Zonenko — defender of Ukraine, grenade launcher operator from Druzhkivka
- Yuriy Kosse – border guard with the 23rd Maritime Guard Detachment of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (Nikolska community)
- Vyacheslav Mikhailenko – major in the Civil Protection Service
- Mykola Naidanov – senior sergeant with the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine
- Daria Nikosh – veteran of the 21st Battalion, volunteer
- Vladyslav Pohribnyak – defender of Mariupol
- Yulia Ponomarenko – veteran, investigator from Avdiivka, recipient of awards from the President of Ukraine
- Rustam Chalabiev – ATO participant, former firefighter with the State Emergency Service, servicemember of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Those who safeguard the state, the law, and the safety of citizens during wartime were honored in the “Shield of Law and Order” category:
- Oleksandr Tsupikov (Winner) — patrol officer, paramedic
- Diana Musienko (Winner) — an experienced specialist in the investigation of criminal offenses
- Alisa Abramova — senior police lieutenant, investigator with the Kramatorsk City Police Department
- Bogdan Bogdanov — patrol officer, member of the anti-drone unit
- Viktor Zalata – Senior Sergeant of the Patrol Police Department, UBD, defender of “Azovstal”
- Sofia Karnaushenko – law enforcement officer, leader in the number of cases referred to court
- The “Called to Save” nomination was dedicated to professionals and volunteers who are the first to come to the rescue in the most extreme situations:
- Bogdan Zuyakov (winner) – chairman of the NGO “Kramatorsk Volunteer Association”
- Radion Vatsyuk—Captain of the Civil Protection Service, Chief of the 30th Fire and Rescue Unit
- Albina Gaponova—Gender Equality Specialist at the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service in Donetsk Oblast
- Andriy Horobets—Captain of the Civil Protection Service, Lead Specialist at the 6th Fire and Rescue Unit
- Vladislav Huseynov – State Emergency Service rescuer;
- Serhiy Yeshchenko – Deputy Chief of the Regional Emergency Management Center at the State Emergency Service Main Directorate;
- Vladislav Samusenko – Head of the NGO “Rhythm of Our Life”;
- Artem Tishchenko – Chief of the 18th Fire and Rescue Unit of the 8th Fire and Rescue Brigade;
- Artur Shevtsov – driver-sapper of the State Emergency Service’s underwater mine clearance unit
The “Pulse of Life” award was dedicated to medical professionals who save the lives of civilians and military personnel every day:
- Viktoria Melnyk (winner) — anesthesiologist at Kramatorsk City Hospital No. 3
- Vladislav Barinov — neurologist, head of the stroke unit at the Regional Trauma Hospital
- Igor Bohdan — pediatric anesthesiologist, medical director of Mariupol City Hospital No. 4
- Serhiy Zubenko – resident physician at the Toretsk Center for Primary Health Care, rehabilitation specialist
- Alina Kulik – head nurse at the Bakhmut Multidisciplinary Intensive Care Hospital
- Anastasia Luchko – medical sergeant in the 56th Mechanized Infantry Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
- Yevhen Muravskyi – anesthesiologist and cardiac surgeon at the Mariupol Regional Clinical Hospital
“Guardians of Resilience” – a category honoring those who hold the rear and ensure the operation of critical infrastructure amid shelling and evacuation:
- Artem Parkhomenko (winner) – technician at the Bakhmut Region Distribution Network Repair and Maintenance Center
- Maria Kovalyova – Specialist at the Motor Transport Service of JSC “Donetskoblgaz”
- Serhiy Krasnyi – Deputy Head of the Legal Support Department of the Administrative Office of the Regional Municipal Enterprise “Company ‘Voda Donbasu’”
- Andriy Kubran – Mechanic at the Sloviansk Gas Distribution Station of JSC “Donetskoblgaz”
- Oleksiy Mozolevskyi – Acting Director of the Siverskyi Specialized Municipal Enterpris
- Andriy Naumov – Director of the “Municipal Single-Customer Service” Municipal Enterprise of the Kurakhiv Municipal Administratio
- Dmytro Pochekaev – Mechanic at the Kramatorsk Gas Distribution Station of JSC “Donetskoblgaz
- Vyacheslav Timofeev – electrician at JSC “DTEK Donetsk Power Grids”
- Olesya Hopanyuk (Winner) – English teacher at Mariupol Secondary School No. 10
- Vladislav Vorobyov – instructor at the I. Karabits Bakhmut College of Culture and Arts, director of the “TakTon” drum band
- Olga Hrytsay – Educational Coordinator at Mariupol Secondary School No. 47
- Andriy Hryshyn – Co-founder of the private chamber theater “DCT”
- Iryna Denysenko – Director of the creative ensemble at the Bakhmut City People’s House
- Natalia Ishchenko – Chief Specialist for Information and Internal Policy at the Mykolaivskyi District Administration
- Lyudmila Savchenko – Head of Department at the Donetsk Regional Educational and Methodological Center for Culture, folklore researcher
- The “Energy of Care and Support” nomination highlighted those who help overcome the consequences of war and support families, children, and defenders
- Tetyana Gebesh — chief specialist of the Labor Department of the Avdiivka City Administration
- Renata Ignat — volunteer with the Sloviansk branch of the Red Cross
- Anna Kirkach – volunteer and psychologist from the Lyman region;
- Alina Sukhomlin – volunteer;
- Milanya Tomas – leader of the student council at Kurakhiv Central School No. 5;
- Hanna Yaremchuk – psychologist at the humanitarian organization People in Need
Educators, scholars, and athletes who inspire and bring honor to the region at the national and international levels were recognized in the “Leaders of Knowledge” category:
- Yana Stepanenko (winner) — an athlete from Toretsk, recipient of the President of Ukraine’s “Future of Ukraine” award
- Artem Garbar — Honored Master of Sports of Ukraine in taekwondo, athlete of the Higher Class of Master of Sports (SHVSM)
- Alina Denisova — history and law teacher, Candidate of Political Sciences
- Valeria Litvyakhova – multiple Ukrainian champion in track and field (parasport)
- Ivan Prybytko – educator from Sloviansk, author of 116 teaching guides
- Yegor Sypchuk – Doctor of Philosophy in Education, physics teacher
- Kateryna Troyan – artist, member of the Mangush Community Youth Council
- Vladyslav Shcherbyinka – soccer coach, methodologist at the Pokrovsk Children’s and Youth Sports School
The “Impulse of Youth Initiatives” nomination highlighted activists who are advancing the youth movement and volunteerism. Due to the high caliber of the nominees, the competition’s Expert Council selected two winners.
- Alina Kozytska (winner) — Chair of the Mariupol Youth Council, Director of the NGO “YaMariupol. “Youth,” and a trainer for the “Youth Worker” program;
- Oleksandr Levchenko (winner) – Deputy Chair of the Youth Council at the Donetsk Regional State Administration and Deputy Chair of the Youth Council at the Myrnohrad City Council;
- Karolina Vanoian—student at the Educational and Research Institute of International Relations (KIMV)
- Kseniia Konyushok—founder of the dance groups “Koloryt” and “Impulse”
- Viktoriia Kuneva—violinist, youth leader from Bakhmut
- Anna Pavlenko – Head of the Donetsk Regional Council of Student Self-Government Leaders
- Alona Khodan – Director of the “Territory M” Youth Center
Young leaders who preserve community unity and tackle complex challenges amid the war were recognized in the “Power of Management Decisions” category:
- Denis Sysoev (winner) – Head of the Education Department of the Kramatorsk City Council
- Alona Brazhko—Head of the Pishchanskyi Starosta District Administration Department of the Pokrovska Municipal Administration
- Valerii Yevsyukov—Chief Specialist of the Avdiivka Municipal Administration, civic activist
- Andrii Zuyakov—Acting Director of the “Kramatorskyi” Regional Landscape Park, member of a mobile fire support unit
- Ihor Kapusta – Representative of the Mykolaivka Village Council
- Ruslana Lepskaya – Head of the Youth and Sports Department of the Ocheretine Local Self-Government Body
- Liliana Ryabenko – Deputy Head of the Hrodiv Local Self-Government Body, initiator of the IDP Support Center
- Lyubov Solomenna – Chief Specialist of the Culture, Youth, and Sports Department of the Novogrodivka Local Self-Government Body
A separate and important part of the ceremony was the presentation of regional awards for productive work, active citizenship, and significant personal contributions to the implementation of state youth policy.
The following individuals were awarded Certificates of Honor from the Donetsk Regional State Administration and the Regional Military Administration:
- Svitlana Barkova—Assistant Professor in the Department of Management and Social Sciences at Donetsk State Maritime Academy (DSMA)
- Viktor Glavkovsky—Vice Rector for Development and Infrastructure at Mariupol State University
- Dmytro Kartamyshev—Assistant Professor in the Department of Production Process Automation at DSMA
- Hanna Martynyuk, Head of the Department of Systems Analysis and Information Technologies at Mariupol State University (MSU)
The Donetsk Regional State Administration and the Regional Military Administration have announced the following commendations:
- Viktoria Bondar, Chair of the Youth Council at the Novogrodivka City Council
- Oleksandr Hryshchenko—Head of the General Secondary Education Division of the Education Department of the Kramatorsk City Council
- Ihor Zhorin—Deputy Chair of the Youth Council at the Pokrovsk City Council
- Ruslana Lepskaya—Head of the Department of Youth, Youth Policy, and Sports of the Directorate for Education, Youth, Sports, and Cultural Development of the Ocheretine Settlement Military Administration, Pokrovsk District, Donetsk Oblast
- Dmytro Mitilov—Chief Specialist of the Education Department of the Kramatorsk City Council
- Serhiy Mishchenko—Chair of the Youth Council under the Maryinka City Military Administration of the Pokrovsk District, Donetsk OblastYulia Naumova—Category I Specialist on Youth Policy and the Promotion of Ukrainian National and Civic Identity at the Department of Culture, Youth, Sports, Tourism, and Information Activities of the Kurakhiv City Council
- Olena Ogorodnikova – Chair of the Youth Council under the Sloviansk City Military Administration of the Kramatorsk District, Donetsk Oblast;
- Daria Oliinyk – Head of the Department of Administrative Services and State Registration of the Udachne Settlement Council;
- Alina Tokareva – Head of the Department of Organizational Support and Youth Policy, Department of Humanitarian Affairs, Kramatorsk City Council
- Olena Uvarova – Acting Director of the municipal institution “Kostiantynivka City Center for Physical Health of the Population ‘Sport for All’”
- Alona Khodan – Director of the Siverskyi Youth Center “Territory M”
- Elmira Chepiga – Chair of the public organization “Country of Development”
- Kateryna Shapovalova – Head of the Department of Organizational Work, Documentation, and Control of the Velykonovosilky Town Council
- Olga Shvets—Specialist in the Humanitarian Department of the Kryvyi Rih Village Counci
- Mykhailo Sherstyuk—Chief Specialist of the Information and Domestic Policy Sector of the Kramatorsk City Council
- Oleksandr Shcherbina—Vice Director for Regional Cooperation at the “Ukrainian Student League” Charitable Organization
“Young Person of the Year – 2026” is more than just a contest. It’s a snapshot of modern Donetsk Oblast: courageous, responsible, and unbreakable.