President Volodymyr Zelensky, in the presence of First Lady Olena Zelenska, presented the annual state award 'National Legend of Ukraine' to a group of Ukrainian citizens and foreigners whose work, in the head of state's assessment, directly strengthens and defends the country. This year, the list of laureates was noticeably broader than usual: it included military personnel, medical workers, energy sector professionals, artists, athletes, journalists, as well as representatives of other professions who have made a significant contribution to supporting and defending Ukraine. Among the recipients was Anatoliy Borichevskyi, Director of DTek's Prydniprovskaya Thermal Power Plant, who has worked in the energy sector for over 30 years.
Ceremony in the Presence of Top Officials
As reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing a statement from DTek, the ceremony took place in a solemn atmosphere with the participation of the president and his wife. The format of the award underscores that 'National Legend of Ukraine' is not a narrow industry-specific prize, but a state-wide honor bestowed on people from a wide range of fields: from the front lines and hospitals to workshops, studios, and sports arenas. That is why, alongside military personnel and medical workers, energy sector professionals also found themselves in the same row this year, as their work under conditions of full-scale war has become one of the key factors in the survival of the country's energy system.
30 Years in Energy and Work on the Front Line
Accepting the award, Anatoliy Borichevskyi emphasized that this distinction is addressed not to a single person, but to an entire community of specialists. 'This distinction is about energy workers who every day restore damaged equipment, bring power units back online, and provide light for the country. About repair workers, miners, and machine builders on whom the energy system depends. I believe that today these people are the national legend of Ukraine,' he stated. In his words, everyone who stays in their place and does their job despite shelling and danger deserves this title, which is why he accepts the award 'on behalf of our entire team.'
Unprecedented Evacuation of Kuryakhivskaya Thermal Power Plant Equipment
DTek separately noted that Anatoliy Borichevskyi's experience and work took on special significance during the period of full-scale war, when he headed Kuryakhivskaya Thermal Power Plant — one of the thermal power stations located closest to the front line. The plant was constantly subjected to Russian shelling, destruction, and forced shutdowns, yet energy workers continued to restore damaged equipment and return the plant to operation. When the approach of the front made it impossible to save the plant, under Borichevskyi's leadership an unprecedented operation to evacuate its equipment was carried out: under the threat of shelling and without railway access, specialists dismantled critically important units weighing tens of tons and transported them by road to accelerate restoration at other plants.
Industry Recognition: From Miners to Machine Builders
The award to Borichevskyi became a continuation of a series of public recognitions of the energy sector's contribution to the state's defense capability. Earlier, as sources recall, Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal awarded 40 DTek miners and energy workers for preparing the industry for winter. Thus, the presentation of the 'National Legend of Ukraine' award to the Director of Prydniprovskaya Thermal Power Plant marks a consistent trend: under conditions of war, work on the front line of the energy system — restoration, dismantling, evacuation, and restarting of equipment — is considered at the state level as a form of defending the country no less than combat.
