Sternenko, Baidak and Fedyshyn receive awards from Zelensky

On the occasion of the International Volunteer Day, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded stand-up comedian Vasyl Baidak, public figure and activist Serhiy Sternenko, singer Iryna Fedyshyn and others.

with the Golden Heart award

The decree states that the awards are presented for "significant personal contribution to the provision of volunteer assistance and the development of the volunteer movement, in particular during the implementation of measures to ensure the defense of Ukraine.".

The list contains 45 names in total. Among them are representatives of public organizations and charitable foundations.

One of the awards is presented posthumously to 23-year-old Pavlo Matviyets, a volunteer with the Kherson-based NGO Strong Because Free. He died as a result of the Russian shelling of Kherson on January 1, 2025.

• on May 1, 2025, Sternenko reported that he had been attacked. Later, the SBU confirmed that security officers had prevented the activist's murder and detained the attacker .
• On May 2, the SBU served the woman with a suspicion on two articles: high treason and attempted murder. According to law enforcement, in late 2024, the suspect was remotely recruited by Russian special services when she was looking for "quick money" on the Internet.
• Malyuk says Sternenko is the leader among volunteers who provide drones to the Defense Forces, which is why Russian special services wanted to kill him.