Widow of Belarusian Volunteer Urges Zelenskyy to Grant Foreigners Eligibility for Hero of Ukraine Title

Veranika Yanovich, the widow of Belarusian volunteer Aliaksei Lazarau, who was killed on January 19 while carrying out a combat mission, has submitted a petition on the website for electronic appeals to the president of Ukraine. She is asking Volodymyr Zelenskyy to initiate legislative changes that would allow the title of Hero of Ukraine to be awarded to foreigners and stateless persons.

Under current Ukrainian law, the title can only be granted to Ukrainian citizens. The only exception applies to posthumous awards for foreigners for acts of heroism during the Revolution of Dignity.

The petition notes that since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, thousands of foreigners have voluntarily taken up arms to defend Ukraine. According to open-source estimates, more than 1,500 of them have been killed. Despite this, they are not eligible to receive the country’s highest state award, which they helped defend.

“My husband never expected gratitude. He was a principled person, firm in his views, but injustice always deeply upset him. I want to ensure that foreign volunteers who have been fighting for Ukraine’s independence since 2014 have the right to be awarded the title of ‘Hero of Ukraine’. Because they deserve it. This is not about special treatment, but about equality on this issue. A draft law to amend the legislation was introduced back in 2022, but since then it has remained without attention”, Yanovich wrote on X.

“It does not matter to me whether Leshka will be awarded the title of ‘Hero of Ukraine’, because I know it would probably have pleased him, but it was never his goal. I appeal to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to resolve the issue with this draft law. Because people are dying for Ukraine’s independence, although they could have chosen not to be here and to live their own, better lives. But they chose to fight for justice and truth. And many gave everything for this, because they gave their lives”, she added.

Zelenskyy is being asked to recognise draft law No. 7296, which expands the circle of individuals eligible for the title of Hero of Ukraine, as urgent and to facilitate its swift adoption by the Verkhovna Rada. If necessary, he is urged to use his right of legislative initiative to submit his own draft law.