15-th anniversary of Independence of Ukraine

COMM Singer Alexander Ponomarev with his wife Viktoria after the ceremony of rewarding in Mariinsky Palace in Kiev on Wednesday, August 23, 2006. President Viktor Yushchenko presented the state awards on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence in Mariinsky Palace. He personally rewarded near 90 persons. Yushchenko rewarded 9 persons with the title of Hero of Ukraine and 9 persons with “The order of Derzhava”, 10 persons with the order “For Courage” of the 1st degree, who mounted Ukrainian national flag in Kiev in 1966 and in town Chortkiv (Ternopolska region) in 1973. President also presented orders of Yaroslav Mudry of the 4th and 5th degrees. He also presented the state awards: “For Merits” of the 1st, 2nd, 3d degrees, “The Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky” of the 3d degree, the order “For Courage” of the 3d degree, “The Order of princess Olga” of the 3d degree, the medal “For military service for Ukraine”. Yushchenko also gave the honorary titles “honoured worker of arts”, “honoured worker of science and technique”, “honoured journalist”, “honoured master of folk arts”, “honoured metallurgist”, “honoured worker of culture”, “honoured worker of social sphere”, “honoured worker of public health”, “honoured minor”, “honoured lawyer” and the honoured title of “mother-heroin”. Photo by Mikhail Markiv / POOL / UNIAN