---
title: "Kuchma Receives Lukyanenko Medal: The Constitution as Ukraine's 'Legal Fortification'"
description: "Leonid Kuchma received the Levko Lukyanenko badge of distinction at a Verkhovna Rada session marking the 30th anniversary of the Constitution. The former president called Article 133 of the Fundamental Law 'legal fortification,' excluding territorial concessions. 🇺🇦📜"
date: 2026-06-29T12:26:43.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/kuchma-receives-lukyanenko-medal-constitution-as-ukraines-legal-fortification
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Kuchma Receives Lukyanenko Medal: The Constitution as Ukraine's 'Legal Fortification'

![Leonid Kuchma delivers a speech in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, with Ukrainian and EU flags in the background, discussing constitutional issues.](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/29/kuchma-nagrashden-znakom-imeni-lukyanyenko-konstitutsiya-ukrainy/kuchma-nagrashden-znakom-imeni-lukyanyenko-konstitutsiya-ukrainy-1.webp)

On June 28, 2026, a solemn ceremony was held within the walls of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the country's Constitution. The central event of the session was the awarding of departmental honors to the second President of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma, who played a key role in the establishment of the independent state.

### Recognition of Merit: Awards Named After a Dissident

The Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanчук, personally presented Leonid Kuchma with the badge 'For Service to the Ukrainian People' named after Levko Lukyanenko. The choice of the award's name is not accidental: Levko Lukyanenko was a prominent Soviet dissident, human rights defender, and co-author of the Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine. Presenting the badge to the former president, who led the country from 1994 to 2004, became a symbol of the continuity of generations and recognition of his institutional contribution to state-building.

The decision to award the honor was made in recognition of Kuchma's direct participation in the constitutional process of 1996. Additionally, during the same ceremony, the former head of state was presented with another badge of distinction — 'For the Development of Parliamentarism'. The press secretary of Leonid Kuchma, Daria Olifer, officially announced the awarding.

### Historical Parallels and Lessons of Compromise

Speaking from the rostrum of the Verkhovna Rada, Leonid Kuchma did not limit himself to standard congratulations. He conducted a deep analysis of key stages of Ukrainian statehood, emphasizing the ability of political forces to consolidate.

The former president highlighted two critically important moments in the country's history:

    - **June 1996:** The adoption of the first Fundamental Law was the result of a complex compromise between polar political forces that managed to find a common denominator for the sake of preserving sovereignty.

    - **December 2004:** The adoption of a political reform that changed the form of government to a parliamentary-presidential one. According to Kuchma, this decision allowed the acute public confrontation to be channeled into a legal framework.

### 'Legal Fortification' of Borders

In his speech, Leonid Kuchma paid special attention to the current status of the state structure and territorial integrity. He reiterated his thesis that Article 133 of the Constitution of Ukraine, which fixes an exhaustive list of 27 administrative-territorial units, serves as the 'legal fortification' of the country.

According to the former president's assessment, this provision excludes any legal mechanisms for territorial concessions. Any changes to the borders, as Kuchma noted, require the holding of an all-Ukrainian referendum, which is impossible under the current legal regime of martial law.

### Symbolism and the Future

The atmosphere of the solemn session was complemented by the speech of a representative of civil society — a serviceman of the National Guard of Ukraine, Pavlo Volchenko. The symbolic significance of his presence was enhanced by the fact that he was born on the day the Fundamental Law was adopted — June 28, 1996.

In accordance with the Regulations on Departmental Badges of Distinction of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, such awards are presented to individuals who have made a significant personal contribution to ensuring sovereignty, legislative activity, and the constitutional rights of citizens. The events of June 28, 2026, became yet another confirmation that the constitutional foundations laid three decades ago remain the foundation of Ukrainian statehood.