Three police officers from Donetsk Oblast who gave their lives defending Ukraine were posthumously awarded:
- Andriy Rybachenko, a soldier in an infantry battalion – the Order “For Courage,” 3rd Class;
- Chingiz Gurbanov, senior district police officer of the Volnovakha District Police Department – the “Defender of the Fatherland” Medal;
- Oleg Zakharenko, senior district police officer of the Sloviansk Police Department – the President of Ukraine’s “For the Defense of Ukraine” Award.
The ceremonies took place in Dnipro and Sloviansk. The heroes’ awards were presented to their families by Mykola Matvienko, Head of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Donetsk Oblast, and Dmytro Solomintsev, Head of the Sloviansk Police.
They noted that the memory of the fallen law enforcement officers will forever remain in the hearts of the people and in the history of Ukraine, and that their feat is an example of the highest courage and devotion to their people.
The life of Police Lieutenant Andriy Rybachenko was cut short on September 11, 2025, while carrying out a combat mission on the front lines.
Police Major Chingiz Gurbanov was killed in the line of duty in the Kramatorsk district on November 8, 2025, when a Russian drone struck his police vehicle.
Police Captain Oleg Zakharenko was shot and killed by an armed assailant while performing his duties on March 19, 2026.
Honor and eternal glory!
Based on materials from the Main Directorate of the National Police in Donetsk Oblast