Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has awarded the Cross of Combat Merit to soldier Oleksandr Aliksieienko and junior sergeant Oleksandr Tishaiev of the Territorial Defense Forces. The two servicemen defended the same frontline observation post in the Zaporizhzhia sector for 165 consecutive days.
Tishaiev, who commanded a rifle platoon, had been deployed to the area since last summer. He organized the defense, coordinated engagements against larger Russian assault groups, shot down enemy drones, and evacuated wounded soldiers under fire.
Aliksieienko, a grenadier deployed to the same position since September last year, repeatedly repelled FPV drone attacks using small arms and electronic warfare equipment. He evacuated comrades from a dugout after Russian forces dropped gas munitions into it using drones, and continued to hold the position under constant artillery fire.
From May to October 2025, Tishaiev and Aliksieienko jointly manned the observation post near Verbove, Mala Tokmachka and Orikhiv. They reported enemy drone activity, monitored the forward line, and coordinated defensive fire while facing continuous mortar strikes and UAV attacks. More than 30 attempts to rotate the pair off the position failed due to the intensity of Russian assaults.
On October 20, they repelled another attack involving 22 armored vehicles and infantry. The Ukrainian defenders destroyed a Russian MT-LB and eliminated three soldiers attempting to storm their position.
Evacuation became possible only on October 28. Despite being wounded, Aliksieienko managed to walk approximately 12 kilometers to the evacuation point with Tishaiev’s support.
Both soldiers are currently receiving treatment in hospital.