Ukraine's President Zelenskyy Awards Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko with the Order of Merit

Ihor Klymenko Receives Presidential Honor

According to Главком: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has presented Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko with the Order of Merit, Third Class. The award, issued under Presidential Decree No. 201/2026, recognizes Klymenko's personal courage and dedication in defending Ukraine's state sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as his conscientious and impeccable service to the Ukrainian people. This honor underscores the critical role of Ukraine's security services during a period of national defense.

Background and Career of Ihor Klymenko

Ihor Klymenko was appointed to lead the Ministry of Internal Affairs on February 7, 2023. His extensive career within the ministry's system began in 1998. His early service included roles as a psychologist, head of a practical psychology center within the Personnel Support Department in the Kharkiv region, and service in an operational platoon of a special MVS peacekeeping unit in Kosovo.

Klymenko holds advanced degrees, having studied at the Kharkiv Military University and completed a master's program in Law at the Dnipropetrovsk State University of Internal Affairs. He earned his Candidate of Psychological Sciences and Doctor of Psychological Sciences degrees. From 2011, he served as deputy head and then head of the personnel inspection department within the MVS Personnel Support Department. In 2015, he led a similar department in the newly formed National Police. Klymenko also served as deputy to National Police Chief Serhii Kniaziev before rising to lead the National Police himself in 2019.

The decision to award Klymenko the Order of Merit highlights the significance of his role in upholding law and order and national security amid Ukraine's current challenges. It also reflects broader recognition for the efforts of internal affairs personnel defending the country, particularly during the ongoing conflict. His future actions as minister are likely to influence the trajectory of domestic security policy and law enforcement reform in Ukraine.