‘To Become Hero of Ukraine, One Have To Die.’ Russian Professor’s Words Fact-checked

On August 24, 2024, Aleksandr Lukashenko extended his congratulations to the people of Ukraine on their 33rd Independence Day and urged for peace negotiations. During a discussion on the Belarusian state-run TV ONT on August 28, 2024, Professor Koktysh, a Belarusian, characterized Ukrainianism as a sect.

“This is sectarianism in its purest form. It is a deadly sect. To become a Hero of Ukraine, one must be a dead hero. There are no living heroes. It is a kind of necromantic cult, quite dark, that draws people in like a vortex and has attracted a vast number of individuals. [...] It is incredibly difficult to leave the sect, we know that it requires tremendous efforts and support from others,” the professor said.

The official website of the President of Ukraine publishes decrees on awards. Of the last 35 Heroes awarded, only one in seven was alive. On August 2, there were two awards: one Hero was alive, the other was awarded posthumously. On June 28, 17 people received the title, three ща them were alive, that is, every sixth one. At the award ceremony on February 24, every fourth awardee was alive. Thus, there are living Heroes of Ukraine, but the majority received the title posthumously.

A year ago, the Ukrainian magazine “Slovo i Dilo” published an infographic on the number of posthumous awards since the beginning of the war. It shows that the longer the war lasts, the more fallen Heroes there are. However, one might not say there are no living Heroes of Ukraine at all.

Unlike Ukraine, Russia does not publicly disclose information on those awarded the title of Hero of Russia for their participation in the Special Military Operation. However, an unofficial list compiled by the “Znanie” society from various sources provides some insight, featuring over 300 names, with nearly half of them receiving the honor posthumously.