The UK's “brave and inspiring” ambassador to Ukraine leads the King’s New Year honours list after displaying determination under fire in Kyiv.
Melinda Simmons, who has rallied international will to help Ukraine as it “pushes back an assault on all of our values”, receives a Damehood for her services to British foreign policy.
Deborah Bronnert, ambassador to Russia, will be handed the same honour for her work countering the Kremlin’s aggression towards its neighbour.
Ms Simmons recently opened up about her year in a war zone in a candid LinkedIn post, and was hailed by followers for her tireless dedication to helping Ukraine. After fleeing the capital for the western city of Lviv in February, she returned after Russia abandoned its initial war plan.
“I returned to Kyiv myself in April, slack jawed at the destruction I saw from Zhitomir on to the outskirts of the capital,” Ms Simmons said. “Bit by bit we added to our [British embassy] Kyiv returnees and set back to work in the embassy.
“Humanitarian, military, economic, energy aid. We worked between the Ukrainian and UK government as fast as we could to identify what was needed and what we could help supply.
“Just a few months of air raid sirens and the occasional air strike before Russia assaulted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. We continued the work against a daily backdrop of taking to shelters. Living without heat, light, water, internet or mobile access.
“As 2022 draws to a close Kyiv and all parts of Ukraine continue to be pounded by Russian missiles and drones targeting electricity supply. Residents do their best to adapt.”
Ukraine war latest — in pictures
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A building burned from a strike as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Bakhmut. Reuters -
Antonina, a refugee from Bakhmut in Donetsk region, with dogs she rescued in Izyum, Kharkiv. AFP -
A resident gives her neighbours hot food brought by volunteers in Izyum. AFP -
A Ukrainian soldier salutes as he works to build a bunker with sand in Bakhmut. Reuters -
Volodymyr Kovalov, 77, carries tree branches attached to his bike as he collects wood for heating and cooking in Kherson region. AFP -
A local resident takes pictures of a destroyed monastery in Dolyna, eastern Ukraine. AFP -
A decoy dummy made with the clothes of a Russian soldier at the entrance of a destroyed cinema in Kamyanka, eastern Ukraine. AFP -
Destroyed houses in the city of Kamyanka. AFP -
Caesar, 50, a Russian who joined the Freedom of Russia Legion to fight on the side of Ukraine, stands in front of a destroyed monastery in Dolyna. AFP -
An employee stands next to a shelter at a stainless pipes plant in Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk region. AFP -
Ivan and Iryna Kalinin before the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Iryna, who was pregnant, was killed in a Russian air strike on Mariupol's maternity hospital. Ivan returned to the occupied city to rebury his wife and baby. AP -
Natalia, 67, sits inside her house that was damaged in a Russian military strike, in Kramatorsk, Ukraine. Reuters -
Ukrainian soldiers ride in a military vehicle in Bakhmut, a city in the Donetsk enclave. AP -
Smoke billows from a building on fire after a Russian attack in Bakhmut. AP -
Sasha and her grandfather stand outside their home in Bakhmut. AP -
Ukrainian soldiers set up a barricade in Bakhmut. AP -
Nastya carries her cat as her mother Anna says goodbye to neighbours with whom they lived for months in a basement during Russian attacks in Soledar, a city in the Donetsk enclave of Ukraine. AP -
Anna and Nastya in the basement during a Russian attack nearby. AP -
A Ukrainian soldier is wheeled on a stretcher at a hospital in the Donetsk enclave. AP -
A woman looks a building damaged by Russian shelling in Kherson. AFP -
Oleksandra Koshkina, 85, sits in a car as she returns to her village of Torske, in the Donetsk enclave. Reuters -
A resident of Bakhmut walks along an empty street. Reuters -
A street market in Bakhmut. Reuters -
A Ukrainian soldier poses for a picture in the Donetsk enclave. Reuters -
Officials tend to a patient on a plane carrying Ukrainian Jewish refugees as they wait to disembark at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. AFP
The diplomat was lauded for her resilience and dedication.
Marzena Richter, a member of the British Polish Chamber of Commerce, called her a “credit to the UK”.
“Thank you Melinda and your team for your bravery,” she said.
Praise also came from a LinkedIn user called Rachel S., a data scientist and former British Army officer, who said Ms Simmons’s actions “demonstrates the allies' resolve to fulfil these aims of defending Ukraine, Europe, democracy and humanity.”
New Year honours are awarded to people across a range of fields, including foreign policy, health and development.
Others who worked on Britain’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine also appear on the list. These include two awards at OBE (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) to Lt Col Andrew Kent and Dr Paul Ransom for their outstanding contributions to UK health support overseas, including on the ground in Ukraine.
Stephanie Al Qaq, former Middle East and North Africa director at the Foreign Office and now ambassador to Brazil, was awarded a CMG (Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George).
Knighthoods were given to:
· Mark Sedwill, a former Cabinet secretary, for his career in public service spanning domestic and international policy across seven prime ministers.
· Masood Ahmed, a Pakistan-born economist and president of the Centre for Global Development, for spearheading initiatives to advance the development of economies around the world.
· Mo Ibrahim, a Sudanese-born billionaire, for his services to philanthropy and charity.
· Alok Sharma, president of Cop26, for his leadership at the 2021 UN summit in Glasgow and role in driving the UK’s efforts to curb climate change.
Sir Philip Barton, permanent under-secretary at the Foreign Office and head of the diplomatic service, said: “I congratulate everyone receiving an honour and thank them for their hard work and years of service.
“The UK’s impact around the world depends on exceptional people like those recognised in His Majesty The King’s New Year Honours list. I am grateful for their outstanding contribution.”
