Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine posthumously to Oleksiy Brekht, a former acting head and board member of Ukrenergo, who died while on duty. The official decree, numbered 138/2026, was published on the President’s Office website.
“To confer the title of Hero of Ukraine with the Order of the State upon Oleksiy Oleksandrovych Brekht – a board member of the National Energy Company ‘Ukrenergo’ (posthumously),” the decree states.
The honor was bestowed upon Brekht for his significant contributions to strengthening Ukraine’s energy security during wartime and his dedicated service to the Ukrainian people.
Ukrenergo described the award as a rightful acknowledgment of Brekht’s merits as an outstanding engineer and effective manager who dedicated his life to the energy sector. The company remarked, “Initially, he focused on its development and modernization, and later on saving it from barbaric Russian attacks. Oleksiy Oleksandrovych died at a site he frequently visited – a facility being rebuilt after another Russian strike.”
On January 23, two petitions were registered on the President’s Office website, urging Zelensky to confer the posthumous title to Brekht and to honor his memory with street names in Kyiv. The Ministry of Energy also made a similar request to the President on January 30.
Brekht lost his life on January 21 while working at a high-voltage substation. He dedicated over 25 years to the Ukrainian energy system, with 23 of those years spent at Ukrenergo. From September 2024 to June 2025, he served as the acting head of the board, succeeding Volodymyr Kudrytsky.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine to Oleksiy Brekht posthumously for his contributions to the country's energy sector. Brekht, who died while on duty, is remembered for his dedication to strengthening energy security amid ongoing conflict.