Voznesensk and Bashtanka were awarded the title of Hero Cities — Presidential Decree

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has awarded the titles of hero cities to the towns of Bashtanka and Voznesensk in Mykolaiv region.

The corresponding presidential decree No. 720/2025 of 30 September was published on the website of the President's Office, according to NikVesti.

The award is timed to coincide with the Day of Defenders of Ukraine. It was awarded to 14 other Ukrainian cities.

Decree on granting Bashtanka and Voznesensk the title of hero cities. Screenshot from the website of the Office of the President of Ukraine

In a video address to Ukrainians, the President thanked every city that stood up to defend its population and prevent Russian occupation.

«Today, on this Day of Defenders, on the Intercession, we celebrate more hero cities — cities of heroes. I signed a decree. Cities that have saved thousands of lives of our people. Cities that are defending our entire country in the full sense of the word. Pavlohrad, Nikopol and Marhanets in the Dnipro region. Cities of Donetsk region: Druzhkivka, Kramatorsk, Konstantinovka, Pokrovsk, Slaviansk. Huliaipole, Orikhiv in Zaporizhzhia. Voznesensk and Bashtanka in Mykolaiv region. Sumy, Trostianets in Sumy region, Kupiansk in Kharkiv region. Starokonstantyniv, a city in the Khmelnytskyi region. I am proud of you! It is an honour to represent such a nation, such cities, communities, such brave people,» Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

Bashtanka, Russian tanks in the district. March 2022.

Russian military equipment on the territory of Voznesensk. February 2022.

As a reminder, the city of Mykolaiv was also awarded the title of Hero City in 2022.

Defence of Voznesensk

On 2-3 March 2022, in Voznesensk, Mykolaiv region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the territorial defence fought off Russian invaders who had entered the city. In Voznesensk, about 700 buildings were damaged as a result of the hostilities, including 56 high-rise buildings.

In a documentary project, created by NikVesti, described the battle for Voznesensk.

The battle for Voznesensk. Archival photo NikVesti

The journalists visited the site of the battle with the occupiers and learned about the details of the battle from the mayor of Voznesensk, Yevhen Velychko, and a member of the Mykolaiv Regional Council, Vladyslav Neveselyi.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine believe that the fall of Voznesensk in March 2022 would have put the entire south of Ukraine at risk, opening the way for the Russians to enter Transnistria. After all, the occupiers' goal was to secure access to the right bank of the Southern Bug River, gain operational space and then either close the encirclement of Mykolaiv or close the encirclement of the entire south with access to Transnistria, Kyrylo Nehymchuk, a participant in the battle for Voznesensk, told reporters.

Soldiers of the 80th separate airborne assault brigade who took part in the defence of Voznesensk said that they had never seen such support from civilians as in Voznesensk. This is described in the video «Voznesensk. 2 years» 80th Brigade.

Defence of Bashtanka

On 1 March 2022, a column of a battalion tactical group of Russian troops, consisting of about 400 pieces of military equipment, approached the district centre of Bashtanka from the direction of the village of Yavkyne. The backbone of the convoy was made up of units of the 126th Separate Coast Guard Brigade of the 22nd Army Corps of the Russian Armed Forces.

In Bashtanka, the Armed Forces of Ukraine consisted of about 110 people, represented by small groups of the 190th Territorial Defence Battalion of the 123rd Separate TRO Brigade and military personnel of the district TCC with a guard company. Civilians and volunteers also took up arms, up to 50 people in total. Many of them had combat experience, having served in the ATO/JFO. It was these groups, armed with small arms, grenades and incendiary mixtures, that made up the manoeuvre defence units of Bashtanka.

Residents of Bashtanka said that during an attempted assault on the town by Russian troops in early March, the occupiers fired at civilian buildings that did not pose a threat.

On 4 March, fighters of the territorial defence of Bashtanka took possession of a Russian Pantsyr S-1 anti-aircraft missile system.

Bashtanka held out for almost a week, until the approach of Ukrainian armed forces on 8 March, including the 1st Air Assault Battalion of the 80th Air Assault Brigade. The town escaped occupation, but part of the district (formerly Snihurivka district) remained occupied by the enemy until the right bank of the Dnipro was liberated in November 2022.