President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine to Vadym "Karaya" Voroshylov, military pilot who shot down Shahed-136 kamikaze drones over the city of Vinnytsia and navigated his damaged jet away from the city. [Hero of Ukraine is the highest national title that can be conferred upon an individual citizen by the President of Ukraine - ed.]

Source: Zelenskyy’s decree

Quote: "Major Vadym Oleksandrovych Voroshylov shall be awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine and be presented with the Order of the Gold Star."

Details: According to the decree, Voroshylov was awarded "for courage and heroism, [that he] demonstrated while defending state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and for his selfless service to the Ukrainian people."

Background: On 12 October, "Karaya" destroyed five Iranian-made drones and, due to damage to the jet that he was flying, ejected in Vinnytsia, having previously navigated the jet away from the city.

"On the fourth day following the ejection, we visited the scene, apologised to local residents  for inconvenience caused, and thanked them for their nerves of steel, their comprehensive assistance provided during the evacuation and their faith in the Armed Forces of Ukraine!", the pilot later wrote on Instagram.

Following the incident, Lieutenant-General Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, started a petition for the pilot to be awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine. 

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