Hero City of Ukraine
Hero City of Ukraine (
History
Soviet Ukraine
During
The usage of the term hero city is dated to articles in Pravda as early as 1942. The first official usage of the title is dated to May 1, 1945, when Joseph Stalin issued his Supreme Commander Order No. 20 commanding to fire salutes in the "hero cities Leningrad, Stalingrad, Sevastopol, and Odesa."[2] On June 22, 1961 (the 20th anniversary of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War) the term "Hero City" was applied to Kyiv in ukases that awarded Kyiv the Order of Lenin and introduced the Medal "For the Defence of Kyiv".
The award of
Since Ukrainian independence
The modern title of Hero City of Ukraine was introduced on March 6, 2022, by decree No. 111 of 2022 by President
"I decided to mark our Hero Cities with a special title that already existed. When another invasion was defeated. But a similar invasion. Another invasion. But no less cruel invasion."
In addition to renewing the status of Kyiv, Odesa, Sevastopol and Kerch, decree 111 also awarded the title to the cities of Chernihiv, Hostomel, Kharkiv, Kherson, Mariupol and Volnovakha.[3][4]
On March 25, 2022, Zelenskyy gave the title of Hero City to another 4 cities by decree No. 164/2022, namely:
List of Hero Cities
Awarded by the Soviet Union, renewed by independent Ukraine
Odesa
The
Sevastopol
The
Kyiv
The
During the German occupation of Kyiv, hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed or deported for forced labour. Kyiv again became a battlefield when advancing Soviet forces pushed the Germans back westwards, expelling German forces from the city on November 6, 1943. Kyiv was awarded the title Hero City by the Soviet Union in 1965.
The Hero City monument in Kyiv was erected in 1982 to reflect this status.
Kyiv would again see large-scale fighting during the Russian invasion of Ukraine when Russian forces
Kerch
– Battle of the Kerch Peninsula
The Ukrainian port of Kerch in the east of the Crimean peninsula, formed a bridgehead at the strait dividing Crimea from the Southern Russian mainland. After fierce fighting, it was taken by the Germans in November 1941. On December 30, 1941, the Soviets recaptured the city in a naval landing operation. In May 1942 the Germans occupied the city again, yet Soviet partisan forces held out in the cliffs near the city until October 1942. On October 31, 1943, another Soviet naval landing was launched. The largely ruined city was finally liberated on April 11, 1944. Kerch was awarded the title Hero City by the Soviet Union in 1973. Together with Crimea, the city was annexed and occupied by Russia in 2014. Its title of Hero City was renewed by independent Ukraine in 2022.
Awarded by independent Ukraine
Chernihiv
The Siege of Chernihiv was launched on February 24, 2022, by the Russian Forces. According to the British Ministry of Defence, Russian forces had failed to capture the city and instead opted to bypass the city through an alternative route to Kyiv.[6][7] Ukrainian officials reported that the Russian forces were heading towards the nearby towns of Sedniv and Semenivka. Ukrainian military forces reportedly captured significant numbers of Russian equipment and documents. The siege was relieved on March 31.
Hostomel
– Battle of Antonov Airport and Battle of Hostomel
The
The Antonov An-225 Mriya, the world's largest airplane, was at the airport at the time of the opening phase of the battle. It was initially confirmed to be intact by an Antonov pilot, despite the fighting.[8] However, on February 27, Ukrainian officials reported that the Mriya had been destroyed by a Russian airstrike.[9] On March 4, Russian state-owned television channel Channel One Russia aired footage showing that the Mriya had been destroyed.[10] By April 2, the Russian army retreated and Hostomel was retaken by Ukrainian troops.[11]
Kharkiv
The
Kherson
The
Mariupol
The
Volnovakha
The
Irpin
The Battle of Irpin began on February 27, 2022, with Russian Ground units entering the city. They captured half of the city by March 14. The town was retaken by the UGF on March 28 after a month-long battle.
Bucha
The Battle of Bucha began on February 27, 2022, with Russian Ground Forces units entering the city. The town was retaken by Ukrainian forces on March 31 also after another month-long battle. Following that evidence of mass graves dug in the town soon revealed the fact that during the battle, there were Russian Ground Forces-involved war crimes against the town's population and personnel of the Armed Forces, known as the Bucha massacre, perpetrated by personnel of RGF units stationed there as well as by paramilitaries. The revelations of the murders of the town's residents during the brief Russian occupation of the town by RGF servicemen before its liberation by the Armed Forces of Ukraine shocked the international community.
Okhtyrka
The Battle of Okhtyrka began on February 24, 2022, with Russian Ground units trying to enter the city. By 26 March, Russian forces withdrew from the city, but bombardments continue. Okhtyrka survived the shelling of a military unit, the destruction of a thermal power plant, the dropping of three vacuum bombs, and shelling by missiles and aircraft.[18]
Mykolaiv
The Battle of Mykolaiv began on February 26, 2022, with Russian Ground units trying to enter the city. On 8 April, Russian forces were repulsed from the city, but bombardments continued on until the liberation of Kherson.
See also
- Hero City (Soviet Union)
- Hero City monument, Kyiv, a Soviet-era Hero City monument in Kyiv, decommunized in 2023
References
- ^ a b Zelenskyy, Volodymyr (March 6, 2022). "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №111/2022" [Decree of the President of Ukraine No 111 / 2022]. Офіційне інтернет-представництво Президента України [Official Internet Representation of the President of Ukraine] (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on March 7, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
- ^ Sudakov, Dmitry (May 8, 2015). "Hero Cities still victorious and heroic, despite squabble". PravdaReport. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
- ^ "Zelensky gives the honorary title 'Hero City' to Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Mariupol, Kherson, Hostomel, and Volnovakha". The Kyiv Independent news desk. March 6, 2022. Archived from the original on March 7, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
- ^ "Zelensky awards Hero City title to Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Mariupol, Kherson, Hostomel and Volnovakha". Interfax-Ukraine. Archived from the original on March 7, 2022.
- ^ "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №164/2022". Офіційне інтернет-представництво Президента України (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on March 26, 2022. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
- ^ Channon, Max (February 25, 2022). "Ukraine 'halts Russian advance' on city, reports UK MoD". WalesOnline. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
- ^ "Ukraine crisis: Russia has failed to take any of its major objectives, lost 450 personnel and made 'limited progress', Ministry of Defence says". Sky News. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
- ^ "Antonov An-225 reported safe". www.key.aero. February 24, 2022. Archived from the original on February 24, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
- ^ Tabahriti, Sam. "World's largest cargo aircraft was destroyed during a Russian attack on an airfield, Ukrainian minister says". Business Insider. Archived from the original on February 27, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
- ^ Jankowicz, Kieran Corcoran, Mia. "Video shows charred wreck of world's biggest airplane, the Antonov AN-225, after it was destroyed in Russian invasion of Ukraine". Business Insider. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Ukrainian troops have retaken full control of Kyiv region, says deputy defence minister". Reuters. April 2, 2022. Archived from the original on April 3, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
- from the original on February 24, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
- ^ "Russia says remaining 531 Azovstal defenders surrender, steelworks siege over". May 20, 2022. Archived from the original on May 20, 2022. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
- ^ "Ukraine war: Last Ukrainian troops in Mariupol told to stop defence of city". Sky News. Archived from the original on May 20, 2022. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
- ^ "Eastern Ukrainian town of Volnovakha destroyed after Russia invasion, local governor says". Reuters. March 12, 2022. Archived from the original on March 13, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
- from the original on March 13, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
- ^ "Heavy fighting leaves much of Volnovakha in ruins". euronews. March 12, 2022. Archived from the original on March 13, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
- ^ "Охтирка — «Місто-герой України»: за незламність та безперервний опір - sumy-yes.com.ua". February 14, 2023. Archived from the original on February 14, 2023. Retrieved February 14, 2023.