On Wednesday of May 6, Head and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Donetsk People’s Republic Denis Pushilin awarded veterans of the Vostok Volunteer Brigade for the courage and bravery they showed when defending the Republic, as well as on the occasion of the sixth anniversary of its formation, the press service of the Head’s Administration reports.

The ex-commander of the Vostok Brigade, public figure Alexander Khodakovsky, DPR People’s Council MPs and other guests of honor attended the solemn forming-up.

“We assemble every spring and remember the events of 2014, they have always been so significant and momentous for each of us! There were many good and bad things… None of us would have done anything differently. The alternative to the choice we made would have disgraced us in front of our ancestors.

We see with our own eyes what we warned about then, this is what is happening now in Ukraine. We would have been ashamed to face our heroic grandfathers and great grandfathers and, of course, our children. We did exactly what we could do.

The Vostok Battalion stood at the origins of the confrontation with the Ukrainian Nazism and the formation of the Republic. I am sure that each of you remembers the moments that originally make you embark on the path that you have been following to this day. We must reach the logical end. We must remember what we rose for then. Remember what you took up arms for, why you stood up as a human shield between the Ukrainian Nazis and the residents of Donbass.

Alas, not everyone has remained in the ranks… Many laid down their lives, having multiplied the merits and heroism of those who now keep fighting. We must remember and keep this in the history of the Donetsk People’s Republic. And, of course, we must get what we have always dreamed of — living in a free country, in undeniable brotherhood with Russia.

Happy holiday! Happy sixth anniversary of the Vostok Brigade!” Denis Pushilin congratulated.

For the courage and bravery shown in the defense of the Donetsk People’s Republic and its state interests, the Head of the DPR awarded the military with state decorations: For Services to the Republic, St. George’s Cross of III and IV classes, For Services to the Republic of III class, which was never awarded before until today. 11 soldiers were awarded these decorations, one of them posthumously.

Following the awarding ceremony, the leader of the country thanked the military for their service and stressed that this was the first awards ceremony of theirs, and there would be far more.

Then Alexander Khodakovsky addressed the military.

After his speech, those present observed a minute of silence in tribute to the memory of fallen soldiers.

Veterans of the Vostok Brigade were also congratulated by DPR People’s Council MPs Klavdiya Kulbatskaya and Yury Sivokonenko.

Recall that the Vostok Volunteer Battalion (it became a brigade later) was formed on May 6, 2014. One of the brightest and most tragic episodes of the unit’s combat path was the operation on defending the Saur Mogila height in summer 2014.