President Zelensky has shared a touching moment with a wounded soldier in Kyiv as he spoke of his “great honor” to be in the presence of those “protecting our country”. Speaking humbly, Mr. Zelensky approached one soldier, who was bedridden after being injured fighting against Russian soldiers in the east, to award him the Order for Courage and thank him profusely for his “bravery”. The President visited hospitals in the capital and, earlier in the day, the Kharkiv region in the northeast of Ukraine to meet with “wounded warriors” and thank them for their service, as well as hand out medals.
As Mr. Zelensky approached the soldier, he said in English: “Thank you so much for your bravery. It is a great honor!”
The soldier, who appears to be from an English-speaking country, replied: “No, it is my honour. Thank you so much, sir.”
Speaking to another soldier about the conditions in the east, Mr. Zelensky said: “People are heroes there.”
The soldier, who appeared to be heavily wounded, replied: “They have survived in even more difficult conditions, so I think we will withstand [the Russian forces].”
In another video, posted on social media by Anton Gerashshenko, Advisor to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Mr. Zelensky can be seen speaking to more wounded soldiers in the Kharkiv region.
As one soldier, taken back by the presence of his nation’s President, a man who has become the face of Ukraine’s fight for independence, scrambled to sit up in bed to greet him, Mr Zelensky said: “No, no, no, do not get up. It is fine.”
He then awarded a medal for courage to the wounded soldier, before the soldier asked to offer him a gift in return.
The soldier said: “I have prepared a suitable gift. It is the chevron of our unit.”
READ MORE: Russian propagandists believe defeat in Ukraine is a ‘foregone’ event [REVEAL]
