Zelensky awarded two soldiers of the TrO who had been on the position for 165 days without interruption

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has honored two soldiers of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who have been on one of the positions at the front for 165 days without interruption. This was reported by the Office of the President.

The Head of State signed decrees on awarding the "Cross of Military Merit" to soldier Oleksandr Alikseenko and junior sergeant Oleksandr Tishayev for continuous combat operations at the frontline for 165 days.

Since last summer, Tishayev, a rifle platoon commander, has been in the combat zone in the Zaporizhzhia sector. Since then, he has been leading the destruction of the enemy and holding his positions, fighting with his comrades in arms with much larger forces. In addition, he destroyed enemy drones and saved the lives of his comrades.

Since September 2024, grenade launcher Alikseenko has been in the combat zone in the same area. He repeatedly repelled enemy drone attacks using electronic warfare and small arms. He evacuated his comrades from a dugout where the occupiers had sent gas ammunition using FPV drones. He held important positions under heavy artillery fire and drone attacks.

From May to October 2025, on the outskirts of the settlements of Verbove, Mala Tokmachka and Orikhiv, Tishayev and Alikseenko spent 165 days at one of the observation positions. They reported on the reconnaissance of the front line, drone flights, observed enemy assault groups, carried out preemptive fire, and reported on the movement and location of the occupiers.

The OP noted that under constant mortar shelling and drone attacks, Tishayev ensured the smooth functioning of the position and maintained the morale of the wounded Alikseenko. There were more than 30 attempts to withdraw and replace the crew at this position, but it was not possible to do so safely.

The last combat engagement with the occupiers took place on October 20, when Russians stormed the defense line with 22 armored vehicles and paratroopers. Ukrainian soldiers killed three Russians who tried to break into their position.

On October 28, the two soldiers were able to be withdrawn from their position due to favorable weather conditions. Despite his injuries, Alikseenko managed to walk about 12 kilometers to the evacuation point with the help of his comrade-in-arms. Now the soldiers are being treated in a hospital.

• On July 8, a fallen Azov soldier Nazariy Hryntsevych "Hrinka" was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine. He was one of the defenders of Mariupol and the youngest among the Azov soldiers there. Hryntsevych was killed in action on May 6, 2024, in the Luhansk sector in the Serebryansky forest.