Hero of Ukraine
| Hero of Ukraine Герой України | |
|---|---|
| Order of the State (left), Order of the Gold Star (centre), miniature medal (right) | |
| Awarded by the President of Ukraine | |
| Type | National order |
| Eligibility | Citizens of Ukraine |
| Awarded for | "Personal heroism and great labor achievements" |
| Status | Active |
| Grades | Order of the State (HOU) Order of the Gold Star (HOU) |
| Statistics | |
| First induction | 26 November 1998 |
| Last induction | 26 January 2026 |
| Total inductees | no less than 1255 |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | None |
| Next (lower) | Cross of Military Merit (Ukraine) |
Ribbon bar of the award | |
A Hero of Ukraine (abbr. HOU; Ukrainian: Герой України, romanized: Heroi Ukrainy) is the highest national decoration that can be conferred upon an individual citizen by the president of Ukraine.
The decoration was created in 1998 by President Leonid Kuchma. As of January 26, 2026, the total number of recipients was no less than 1,255 (of which decrees awarding 1,216 individuals were published, and for at least 39 individuals, the decrees were not made public).
The decoration is granted to two classes of recipients: to civilians, the Order of the State (abbr. OS, Ukrainian: Орден Держави, romanized: Orden Derzhavy); and to military recipients, the Order of the Gold Star (abbr. OGS, Орден «Золота Зірка», Orden "Zolota Zirka").
The first foreigner awarded the decoration was Belarusian Mykhailo Zhyznevskyi in June 2017.