Widow of Belarusian Volunteer Collects Signatures for Petition to Award Foreigners the Title Hero of Ukraine
Veronika Yanovich, the widow of Belarusian volunteer Aliaksei Lazarau, who died defending Ukraine, managed to collect the necessary number of signatures for a petition to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Verkhovna Rada. On July 30, the petition gathered over 25,000 signatures, which are required for the head of the Ukrainian state to consider it.
The petition was published on May 1 and signed on behalf of the wife and relatives of the fallen volunteer Aliaksei Lazarau. In it, Veronika Yanovich proposed allowing the title Hero of Ukraine to be awarded to foreigners and stateless persons who have performed heroic acts while defending the country.
In the petition, the Belarusian woman pointed out that foreign volunteers effectively perform the same tasks as citizens of Ukraine: they directly participate in combat operations, help defend the state, and perform acts aimed at protecting its independence and territorial integrity.
According to Yanovich, the absence of an appropriate mechanism does not allow Ukraine to properly acknowledge the merits of foreigners who have made a significant contribution to the defense of the country.
Aliaksei Lazarau died in January 2026. After his death, Veronika Yanovich stated that he did not expect gratitude for his service but always reacted sharply to injustice.
Now, after collecting the necessary 25,000 signatures, the petition must be officially considered by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and an official response must be provided.
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