According to the Decree of Ukrainian President No. 191/2015, Lieutenant-Colonel Kovalenko Yurii Viktorovych was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine and the order “Gold Star” (posthumously).

The officer was awarded “for extraordinary courage, heroism, loyalty to military oath and self-sacrifice demonstrated in the protection of state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukrainian state”.

Lieutenant-Colonel Kovalenko, a deputy commander of detachment of Special Forces of 3rd regiment of Special Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, performed reconnaissance in the area of ATO with his subordinate unit.

As a commander of reconnaissance unit, he skillfully managed by the actions of detachment on conducting of reconnaissance in defined zone, he gave in time a reliable information about the enemy, he personally annihilated about 15 gunmen, he was an example for subordinate personnel.

On July 15, 2014, Yurii Kovalenko was killed during performing combat mission.