President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated members of the Security Service of Ukraine on the 34^th anniversary of the agency’s establishment, praising their professionalism and significant contributions to Ukraine’s defence.

During the ceremony, SSU personnel were awarded state honours, including the Cross of Military Merit, the Order of Merit (3^rd Class), the Orders of Bohdan Khmelnytsky (1^st and 2^nd Classes), the Orders For Courage (1^st and 2^nd Classes), the Princess Olha Order (2^nd Class), and the For Saving Lives medal.

The President emphasised that, over the course of the war, the SSU has evolved into one of the outstanding security services in Europe and globally.

‘We are all inspired by your deep strikes behind enemy lines, particularly those targeting russian oil industry. These achievements boost the morale of our entire nation. Your combat work on the front lines is such that we can only be proud of it. In all the hottest spots on the front, the Security Service of Ukraine has proven itself worthy. I thank you for all your operations in the Black Sea to defend against russian warships and against putin’s bridge. Thank you for Spiderweb, which has gone down in the global history of special operations,’ Zelenskyy said.

‘For 34 years, the Security Service has stood guard over the state. We bear responsibility for protecting our citizens. And today, this mission is more important than ever. The war has been a serious test for the SSU, but also a period of development and profound change. The Security Service has grown stronger, gaining unique technological, operational, and combat expertise. It has become one of the key units of the Defence Forces, effectively countering russian aggression daily,’ emphasized the SSU Acting Head Yevheniy Khmara.

Separately, the President highlighted the SSU’s work in countering russian sabotage in the Ukrainian rear.

‘Some details cannot yet be discussed openly or disclosed, but we know how many attacks on Ukrainians you managed to foil and how many enemy agents you managed to stop. This is a colossal achievement by the Security Service of Ukraine,’ noted Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The event concluded with a moment of silence in honour of SSU servicemen and all members of Ukraine’s Security and Defence Forces who gave their lives defending our independence and our people.