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Oct. 19 (UPI) -- The European Parliament awarded the people of Ukraine the 2022 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought on Wednesday. In a speech Wednesday afternoon, European Parliament President Roberta Mestola lauded the people of Ukraine and their President Volodymyr Zelensky for their country's fight in its war against Russia.
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"This award is for those Ukrainians fighting on the ground. For those who have been forced to flee. For those who have lost relatives and friends," Mestola said. "For all those who stand up and fight for what they believe in. I know that the brave people of Ukraine will not give up and neither will we."
The nomination highlighted the efforts of individuals and organizations, specifically the State Emergency Services of Ukraine; Yulia Pajevska, founder of the evacuation medical unit Angels of Taira; Oleksandra Matviychuk, a human rights lawyer and chairwoman of the Center for Civil Liberties; and Ivan Fedorov, mayor Melitopol, which is under Russian occupation.
Zelensky tweeted his gratitude for the honor and thanked the EU for its support of Ukraine.
"Ukrainians prove dedication to the values of freedom, democracy every day on the battlefield against the terrorist state of the RF," he wrote, referring to the Russian Federation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared martial law in four regions of Ukraine on Wednesday, setting the stage for increased hostilities. Strikes on infrastructure this month have destroyed about a third of Ukraine's electrical plants, causing blackouts throughout the country.
The prize will officially be awarded in a ceremony Dec. 14 in Strasbourg, France.
It has been awarded annually by the European Parliament since 1988, honoring individuals and organizations defending human rights and freedoms. The prize is named for Andrei Sakharov, a Soviet physicist and political dissident. The prize money is about $50,000.
