President Volodymyr Zelensky awarded state decorations to those who made a significant contribution to the development of polar research in Ukraine. In particular, to all the participants of the Ukrainian Antarctic expeditions, who have been conducting year-round research at Akademik Vernadsky station for 6 years or more.
The award ceremony took place at the President’s Office today, February 6, 2021 – on the day of the 25th anniversary of Akademik Vernadsky station.
“Every great story means, first of all, the people who made it possible. I would like to thank the representatives of the Ukrainian polar community present here, as well as everyone who worked at Akademik Vernadsky station in different years. I believe and am convinced that the history of Vernadsky, the history of “Ukrainian Antarctica” will continue and will be successful. I thank our male and female polar explorers for their work, contribution to science and strengthening the authority of Ukraine,” Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized.
Ukrainian polar explorers have been honored by state awards:
III Degree Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise
- Sergiy Komisarenko, in 1990s – the first Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Kingdom, who negotiated and signed the Memorandum on the transfer of the station to Ukraine from the UK.
V Degree Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise
- Petro Gozhyk (posthumously), Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, founder and first director of the Center of Antarctic Research (now NASC), organizer of the 1st Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition. For him the order was received by his son Andrii Gozhyk
ІІ Degree Order for Merit
- Gennadi Milinevsky, Head of the 1st Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition
- Mykola Starynets, participant of 8 Ukrainian Antarctic expeditions, Head of two UAE
III Degree Order for Merit
- Roman Bratchyk, participant of the 1st, 2nd and the 8th Ukrainian Antarctic Expeditions, the only polar explorer in Ukraine who spent more than two years in Antarctica continuously
- Oleg Budanov, participant of 6 Ukrainian Antarctic Expeditions
- Bogdan Gavrylyuk, participant of 8 Ukrainian Antarctic Expeditions, Head of the upcoming 26th UAE
- Evgen Dykyi, Director of the National Antarctic Scientific Center
- Viktor Lukiashchenko, participant of 6 Ukrainian Antarctic Expeditions, Head of two UAE
- Yurii Otruba, participant of 6 Ukrainian Antarctic Expeditions, Head of the 25th UAE
III Degree Order of Princess Olga
- Svitlana Krakovska, participant of the 2nd Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition.
Congratulations to the awarded polar explorers! We are proud of you and thankful for the incredible work!
