The Russian military show exceptional examples of courage and self-sacrifice on the front line of the special military operation, President Vladimir Putin said at a ceremony presenting state awards in the Kremlin.
During his speech in the Kremlin, Putin said that the times that Russia was going through at the moment were not easy, but significant. Russia must defend its sovereignty, he added.
Earlier, President Putin addressed the military personnel on the front line. He called them heroes and stressed that an attitude towards the fighters in the special operation zone is shared by all Russians. Putin thanked the military for their service and devotion to their ideals.
Speaking about the mobilised Russians and contract soldiers who take part in the hostilities in Ukraine, Putin noted that it was only them who knew that they were the real heroes.
It is only the Russian fighters themselves and their commanders who understand how difficult it is to take part in hostilities and how much it takes to put their lives шт danger, Putin noted.
During the ceremony, acting Heads of the LPR and the DPR Leonid Pasechnik and Denis Pushilin were awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 1st Degree, and Acting Heads of the Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions, Yevgeny Balitsky and Vladimir Saldo, were awarded the Orders of Merit for the Fatherland, 3rd Degree.
President Putin also highly appreciated the work of military correspondent Semyon Pegov and presented him with the Order of Courage. Pegov came to receive his award on crutches: he was wounded when he stepped on a mine.