President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has become a laureate of the Boris Nemtsov Prize. This was reported on the website of the Boris Nemtsov Foundation for Freedom.

The Foundation's statement says that this year it was decided to nominate only a representative of Ukraine for the award. Among the candidates were Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, leader of the Okean Elzy group Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, founder of the unit of military volunteer medics Yulia Paevskaya (Taira), adviser to the President of Ukraine Oleksiy Arestovich, leader of the Boombox group Andriy Khlyvnyuk and others. Zelensky became the winner according to the results of the rating voting of the founders and the Board of the Fund.

“Vladimir Zelensky showed incredible courage. We give the award not for the past and not for the future. We give an award for what a person has done here and now, this year. And here and now Volodymyr Zelensky stayed in Kyiv and decided to defend his homeland together with his people. He showed courage. In these moments, his words about the fact that he does not need evacuation, but that he needs weapons — this is the quintessence of his incredible courage, ” said Zhanna Nemtsova, daughter of Boris Nemtsov, in an interview with Meduza.

The Boris Nemtsov Prize is awarded "for exceptional courage in upholding democratic values ​​and human rights." It was established in 2016, the year after the murder of an oppositionist. Until now, only Russian citizens have become its laureates - politicians Alexei Navalny and Lev Shlosberg, activists Ildar Dadin, Konstantin Kotov, Anastasia Shevchenko and Nadezhda Mityushkina.

Source: THE INSIDER