Hero City of Ukraine (Ukrainian:Місто-герой України,romanized: Misto-heroi Ukrainy,IPA:[ˈmistoɦeˈrɔjʊkrɐˈjinɪ]) is aUkrainianhonorary title awarded for outstanding heroism during theRussian invasion of Ukraine.[1] It was awarded to ten cities in March 2022. In October 2025 awarded to 16 cities.[2] This symbolic distinction for a city corresponds to the distinction ofHero of Ukraine awarded to individuals.
The modern title of Hero City of Ukraine was introduced on March 6, 2022, by decree No. 111 of 2022 by PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyy following the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[1] The award is related to the modernUkrainian title of theHero of Ukraine. In a public broadcast, Zelenskyy stated:
"I decided to mark our Hero Cities with a special title that already existed. When another invasion was defeated. But a similar invasion. Another invasion. But no less cruel invasion."
In addition to renewing the status of Kyiv, Odesa, Sevastopol and Kerch, decree 111 also awarded the title to the cities ofChernihiv,Kharkiv,Kherson,Mariupol,Volnovakha, and the rural settlement ofHostomel.[3][4]
On March 25, 2022, Zelenskyy gave the title of Hero City to another 4 cities by decree No. 164/2022, namely:Bucha,Irpin,Okhtyrka andMykolaiv.[5]
On October 1, 2025, the title was granted to 16 more cities:Bashtanka,Druzhkivka,Huliaipole,Kostiantynivka,Kramatorsk,Kupiansk,Marhanets,Nikopol,Orikhiv,Pavlohrad,Pokrovsk,Sloviansk,Starokostiantyniv,Sumy,Trostianets, andVoznesensk.[6]
Thesiege of Chernihiv was launched on February 24, 2022, by Russian forces. According to theBritish Ministry of Defence, Russian forces had failed to capture the city and instead opted to bypass the city through an alternative route toKyiv.[7][8] Ukrainian officials reported that the Russian forces were heading towards the nearby towns ofSedniv andSemenivka. Ukrainian military forces reportedly captured significant numbers of Russian equipment and documents. The siege was relieved on March 31.
–Battle of Antonov Airport andBattle of Hostomel
TheBattle of Antonov Airport began on February 24, 2022, during the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. While initial assaults fromRussian Airborne VDV units were repulsed by Ukrainian Forces, the airport eventually fell on February 25 following a second wave of forces.
TheAntonov An-225 Mriya, the world'slargest airplane, was at the airport at the time of the opening phase of the battle. It was initially confirmed to be intact by anAntonov pilot, despite the fighting.[9] However, on February 27, Ukrainian officials reported that the Mriya had been destroyed by a Russian airstrike.[10] On March 4, Russian state-owned television channelChannel One Russia aired footage showing that the Mriya had been destroyed.[11] By April 2, the Russian army retreated and Hostomel was retaken by Ukrainian troops.[12]
Thebattle of Kharkiv began on February 24. Kharkiv, located just 32 kilometres (20 mi) south of theRussia–Ukraine border and a predominatelyRussian-speaking city, is the second largest city in Ukraine and was considered a major target for the Russian offensive from the start.[13] The stiff Ukrainian resistance, though, meant that the Russian advance to that city would later end in failure, and the battle ended on May 14 with all Russian forces withdrawn away from the city and towards the Russian border. Thebattle has been described by a Ukrainian presidential advisor as the "Stalingrad of the 21st century."
TheBattle of Kherson began on February 24, 2022, withRussian Ground units as well asAirborne Forces launching an attack from theCrimean Peninsula, crossing theDnieper River and capturing the city itself on March 2, 2022.Kherson was the first major Ukrainian city captured by Russian forces in the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. By 11 November, Russian forceswithdrew from the city and Ukrainian troops hoisted the Ukrainian flag in the city. Paolo Gentiloni, EU Commissioner for the Economy, said commenting on a video on the liberation celebrations: "Kherson, the only capital occupied by the Russian invasion, has been liberated. So peace is closer."
TheSiege of Mariupol was a military action in Ukraine during the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, when forces from Russia and the separatistDonetsk People's Republic engaged Ukrainian forces in the city ofMariupol. The battle, which was part of the RussianEastern Ukraine offensive, started on February 24, 2022, and concluded on May 20, 2022, when Russia announced the remaining Ukrainian forces in Mariupol surrendered[14] after they were ordered to cease fighting.[15]
TheBattle of Volnovakha was initiated on February 25, 2022, by Russian andDPR forces as part of theEastern Ukraine offensive of the2022 invasion of Ukraine. The battle resulted in the capture of the city on March 12, 2022, by DPR forces. The governor ofDonetsk Oblast,Pavlo Kyrylenko stated that the city had been largely destroyed.[16][17] TheAssociated Press independently confirmed that the town had been captured by pro-Russian separatists and much of it had been destroyed in the fighting.[18]
TheBattle of Irpin began on February 27, 2022, withRussian Ground units entering the city. They captured half of the city by March 14. The town was retaken by the UGF on March 28 after a month-long battle.
TheBattle of Bucha began on February 27, 2022, withRussian Ground Forces units entering the city. The town was retaken by Ukrainian forces on March 31 also after another month-long battle. Following that evidence of mass graves dug in the town soon revealed the fact that during the battle, there were Russian Ground Forces-involved war crimes against the town's population and personnel of the Armed Forces, known as theBucha massacre, perpetrated by personnel of RGF units stationed there as well as by paramilitaries. The revelations of the murders of the town's residents during the brief Russian occupation of the town by RGF servicemen before its liberation by the Armed Forces of Ukraine shocked the international community.
TheBattle of Okhtyrka began on February 24, 2022, withRussian Ground units trying to enter the city. By 26 March, Russian forces withdrew from the city, but bombardments continue. Okhtyrka survived the shelling of a military unit, the destruction of a thermal power plant, the dropping of three vacuum bombs, and shelling by missiles and aircraft.[19]
TheBattle of Mykolaiv began on February 26, 2022, withRussian Ground units trying to enter the city. On 8 April, Russian forces were repulsed from the city, but bombardments continued on until the liberation of Kherson.
 | This article needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(October 2025) |
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