Estonian Ambassador to Ukraine Anneli Kolk and Estonian Military Attaché Colonel Eero Kinnunen presented the Cross of Merit from the Estonian Ministry of Defense to the family of the deceased commander of the 138th Zhytomyr Territorial Defense Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Olexander Verbylo.
The ceremony took place at the Estonian Embassy in Kyiv, and was attended by the defender’s wife Olena and children Artem and Tetyana.
“The award from the Estonian Ministry of Defence was awarded to Olexander Verbylo for his significant contribution to the advancement of defense cooperation between the Ukrainian Forces and the Republic of Estonia”, – said Ambassador Anneli Kolk.
Verbylo turned the 138th Zhytomyr Territorial Defense Battalion into a combat unit in the early days of the Russian invasion and led it until his death on the battlefield near Stelmakhivka in Luhansk Oblast in July 2023. Verbylo established the battalion’s relationship with Estonia, which helped the unit to improve its transport mobility and combat capabilities.