Poroshenko hands Ukrainian passport to a Belarusan

Ukraine President marked Siarhei Karotkih, who has been in the ranks of the "Azov" battalion since the very beginning of its establishment, for his service.

Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko expressed his gratitude to Siarhei Karotkih ((Serhiy Korotkykh - in Ukrainian) for his courageous and selfless service, the press office of the President informs. "It has become trendy and prestigious to be a citizen of Ukraine. I am proud of that and it is a pleasure for me to give you this passport," he said.

According to Poroshenko, "our best warriors and volunteers, who have demonstrated that they love Ukraine in Russian, Belarusian, English or any other language not less than in the Ukrainian one, who are ready to sacrifice their lives for its independence, are worthy to bear the great and prideful title of Ukrainian citizen".

Siarhei Karotkih thanked the President with the words of the Ukrainian warriors "I serve the people of Ukraine". After receiving the award, the warrior has also said that he had been born in Russia and had been the citizen of Belarus for a long time. "I am glad that I have been granted Ukrainian citizenship. I've been willing to reach this goal for 8 months," he said.

According to Siarhei Karotkih, everyone watches Russian channels and the majority understands that the events in Ukraine can happen in Belarus, Kazakhstan, Latvia.

Poroshenko also informed that the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of the Interior are preparing a series of similar submissions to grant Ukrainian citizenship to “warriors who selflessly defend the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity”.