Zelenskyy visits command post near Vovchansk on Special Operations Forces Day – video

VALENTYNA ROMANENKO — Monday, 29 July 2024, 13:42

Zelenskyy decorating a soldier of the Special Operations Forces. Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

On the Day of the Special Operations Forces of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited aforward command post of the Special Operations Forces on the Kharkiv front near the city of Vovchansk, congratulated the soldiers on the holiday and presented them with state awards.

Source: Office of the President of Ukraine

Quote from Zelenskyy: "I would like to thank you for your heroic operations both in the enemy’s rear and during the defence and liberation of our territories, cities and villages, starting with the defence of Donetsk Airport in 2014, then Hostomel, Kherson Oblast and the operation in Kharkiv Oblast. Please take care of yourselves. Today you are on this front, which is probably one of the toughest spots. The whole country is counting on you, and we will definitely win."

Details: Zelenskyy awarded the soldiers with state decorations, including two Stars of Heroes of Ukraine, and awarded the 142nd Training Centre of the Special Operations Forces with the honorary name: from now on, it is the 142nd Training Centre of the Special Operations Forces named after General Vsevolod Zmiienko.

It is noted that President Zelenskyy and Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, received a report by Oleksandr Trepak, Commander of the Special Operations Forces, on the development strategy of the Special Operations Forces and the completed and planned tasks. Trepak spoke about the three main areas of the Special Operations Forces' activities: psychological operations and non-kinetic warfare, resistance movement in temporarily occupied territories and actions of special forces units.

The parties also discussed further reforming and developing the capabilities of the Special Operations Forces in line with current challenges and using the best international and domestic experience gained since 2014.

For reference: The Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is a separate branch of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which includes special forces, as well as information and psychological special operations units. This branch of the Armed Forces was established in 2016. In Ukraine, 29 July is the Day of the Special Operations Forces.