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On Friday, June 5, a ceremony to mark the International Day of UN Peacekeepers was held at the UN headquarters in New York. At the event, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres posthumously awarded Ukrainian helicopters flight attendant Sergii Prykhodko the Captain Mbaye Diang Medal for Exceptional Courage. For the first time in the history, this medal was awarded to a civilian. This is reported by UATV English, citing the airline’s press service.
“No one should die in the service of peace. Attacks on peacekeepers are gross violations of international humanitarian law, and Member States must fulfill their obligations to ensure the safety and protection of UN personnel under all circumstances,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said at the ceremony.
The Award was received by Elyzaveta, Sergii Prykhodko’s 6-year-old daughter. She and the wife of the heroically deceased Ukrainian, Tetyana, arrived at the UN headquarters for the ceremony with the support of the Aviation Company Ukrainian helicopters.
Sergii Prykhodko (from Boryspil) worked for many years as a flight attendant-rescuer and instructor for AC Ukrainian helicopters. He participated in various complex civilian missions and saved many lives. None of the rescue operations shook his faith in people, his love for the profession, and did not turn him away from the sky. On the contrary, he dreamed of becoming a passenger airliner pilot – he managed to become a pilot of a light aircraft and continued his studies.
“Our Aviation Company has been working in UN peacekeeping missions for over 20 years. We are committed to promoting peace in the world and are proud of this. Sergii Prykhodko was one of the best our employees, and that is a great loss for our company. We have been supporting his family and his little daughter, Liza, and we will continue to help them. Our company provides monthly assistance not only to the families of our fallen colleagues who died while defending Ukraine or died on missions. We help all Ukrainian orphaned children whose mothers and fathers died during the war. And this is also a great mission for us”,— said Volodymyr Tkachenko, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Aviation Company Ukrainian helicopters.
It was the crew of the Ukrainian helicopters company that was performing the tasks of the UN mission in the Republic of South Sudan on March 7, 2025. Then the evacuation helicopter landed at a designated point to pick people up. Despite the security guarantees received, an armed attack on the aircraft occurred. When the shooting, which was unexpected by anyone, began, the flight attendant-rescuer of Ukrainian helicopters Sergii Prykhodko shielded the people who were boarding the helicopter with his body, and unfortunately, he died.
Thanks to the training and high level of proficiency of Ukrainian helicopters crew, they were able to complete the rescue operation and land the helicopter in a safe location. Despite suffering gunshot wounds, Pilot in Command Sergii Muzyka and co-pilot Dmytro Teplykh managed to take the damaged helicopter off, evacuate eight people, and bring them out of the line of fire, having more than 20 bullet holes in the aircraft.
Ukrainians are standing up for peace, which is based on justice and the reinstatement of international law. In the entire history of Ukraine participation in UN peacekeeping operations since 1992, this Award is, beyond overstatement, the most outstanding. It is the highest UN Peacekeeping Award. And, Sergii Prykhodko received it for courage that considerably exceeded the requirements of his official duties.
This Award was established by the United Nations Security Council in 2014 to honor military personnel, police officers, and civilian staff who demonstrated exceptional courage in the line of duty. The Medal is named in honor of Captain Mbaye Diagne of Senegal. In 1994, he sacrificed his own life in Rwanda to save the lives of countless people. Previously, it was awarded only three times in the history, but never to a civilian. Ukraine has always been among the leaders for the number of aviation resources provided among UN Member States participating in joint international projects, and continues to defend the high ideals of peace in the face of a full-scale invasion.
Ukrainians and Ukrainian organizations have regularly received international awards, prizes, and medals from various United Nations institutions and agencies for their courage, peacekeeping efforts, protection of human rights, and innovation.
Since the Declaration of Independence, Ukrainian peacekeepers have participated in 36 military peacekeeping operations around the world. Forty-four thousand Ukrainian citizens have served in these missions, and 55 of them have lost their lives.
