At the command post of the 20th Army Corps, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with military personnel performing tasks to liberate the temporarily occupied territory of the Dnipro region, UNN reports, citing the Office of the President.
Details
The commander of the 20th Army Corps, Svyatoslav Zayits, reported on the operational situation in the defense zone.
The Head of State discussed urgent issues with the commanders of all brigades and separate battalions of the corps, including strengthening the capabilities of the unmanned systems forces within this formation. The primary focus was on middle-strike drones. Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that this issue would be addressed. The military also voiced needs for specific types of drones and the necessity to increase the number of ground robotic systems (GRS).
They spoke in detail about increasing additional funding for combat battalions. Currently, this amount stands at 7 million hryvnias per battalion performing combat missions.
Brigade and battalion commanders also raised the issue of greater flexibility in choosing equipment for various tasks: from ATVs to heavy armored vehicles. They discussed options for potential solutions that could ensure this. Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that the military command would work on finding new approaches.
The Head of State thanked the warriors for their service, honored them with the Orders of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, 1st and 3rd class, "For Courage," 2nd and 3rd class, and the Order of Danylo Halytsky, and promoted the commander of the 20th Army Corps, Svyatoslav Zayits, to the rank of Brigadier General. Notably, among those decorated were two Colombian volunteers who have been helping to deter Russian aggression and defending Ukraine in the ranks of the Armed Forces since 2025. They were recognized for their significant contribution to the defense of our country, the destruction of the enemy, and saving the lives of their comrades. Specifically, on November 28, 2025, both volunteer soldiers took part in the evacuation of a severely wounded defender from the battlefield. Despite poor visibility, incoming fire, and Russian assault operations, they covered 10 kilometers on foot as part of a group to provide aid to their comrade and evacuate him.
"Today I have the honor to be here together with our team, together with the Commander-in-Chief, and to decorate our fighters, to decorate you. Well done for holding strong! We are all looking at you, the entire state is looking at you, all states are looking at the Ukrainian army, at the Armed Forces, at our Defense Forces. Everyone is absolutely proud and must help as much as possible," Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted.