Zelensky asked to confer the Hero title on the deceased son of UOC priest
The son of a UOC priest, military doctor Oleksandr Prokopchuk, died saving wounded soldiers. Photo: sarny.church.ua
A petition has been published on the website of the President on the posthumous awarding of the title of Hero of Ukraine to lieutenant of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, military doctor Oleksandr Prokopchuk. The AFU lieutenant is the son of Archpriest Mykola Prokopchuk, cleric of the Sarny eparchy of the UOC, rector of the church in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the village of Berezhnytsia, Rivne region.
The petition was published by Mykola, the younger brother of the deceased. He said that Oleksandr was born in 1996, after school he graduated from the medical university and the military medical academy. From the beginning of the full-scale war, he served in the medical company of the 128th mountain assault brigade. Rescued the wounded in Irpin and Bucha, then in Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and Donetsk regions.
On February 11, 2023, in Bakhmut, Alexander took out seriously wounded soldiers from the battlefield and provided them with assistance. An anti-tank guided missile hit the medical service vehicle, leaving no one survived.
Mykola notes that his brother saved hundreds of lives and sincerely rejoiced at the salvation of each warrior.
“Oleksandr’s fellow servicemen emphasize that he was a real example of an officer, an extremely humane, attentive, loving son and husband, a true friend and devoted patriot of his country,” the petition says. “He faithfully served the people of Ukraine. He gave his soul and body for his wounded brothers. He fought and wanted to live in a free, independent, democratic Ukraine. Oleksandr Prokopchuk honorably fulfilled his duty to protect his state and remained faithful to the oath, to the Ukrainian people and Ukraine until his last breath.”
The author of the petition addressed the President with a request to confer on Oleksandr the title of Hero of Ukraine and to award his parents, who raised a true patriot, with the Order of the Golden Star.
According to the press service of the Sarny diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Anatoly of Polissia and Sarny called on everyone to support the petition.
There are 69 days left until the end of the collection of signatures, but the initiative has already collected more than 11,000 votes.
Earlier, the UOJ wrote that Oleksandr Prokopchuk was buried behind the altar of the UOC church in the village of Berezhnytsia.
Read also
In Pasika, Transcarpathia, priest defects to OCU while community remains in UOC
In the village of Paseka in Transcarpathia, believers discussed the future fate of their church.
In Sumy, Presentation Church of UOC damaged by shelling
In the Sumy Eparchy, the walls and fence of the Presentation Church were damaged as a result of shelling, but divine services continue.
Ukraine loses almost 98% of cases at European Court of Human Rights
According to the ECtHR’s 2025 report, nearly all complaints against Ukraine end with findings of human rights violations.
UOC Chancellor on Kyiv Council decision targeting UOC: Obvious lawlessness
Metropolitan Anthony said the document adopted by the Kyiv Regional Council violates the Constitution, interferes with freedom of religion, and exceeds the body’s authority.
In Finland, Constantinopolitan Church hierarch convicted of fraud
A Finnish court found the former archbishop of the Constantinople Patriarchate guilty of manipulating state subsidies and committing financial violations.
His Beatitude: Pure faith is the only path to soul salvation
On the Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, the Primate of the UOC urged the faithful not to tailor faith to human reasoning and passions, and reminded them of the significance of the Ecumenical Councils.