Awards and decorations of the Soviet Union are decorations from the former
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
that recognised achievements and personal accomplishments, both military and civilian. Some of the awards, decorations, and orders were discontinued after the
dissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union, also negatively connoted as rus, Разва́л Сове́тского Сою́за, r=Razvál Sovétskogo Soyúza, ''Ruining of the Soviet Union''. was the process of internal disintegration within the Sov ...
, while others are still issued by the
Russian Federation
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
as of 2021. Many of the awards were simply reworked in the Russian Federation, such as the transition of
Hero of the Soviet Union
The title Hero of the Soviet Union (russian: Герой Советского Союза, translit=Geroy Sovietskogo Soyuza) was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded together with the Order of Lenin personally or collectively for ...
to
Hero of the Russian Federation
Hero of the Russian Federation (russian: Герой Российской Федерации, Geroy Rossiyskoy Federatsii), also unofficially Hero of Russia (russian: link=no, Герой России, Geroy Rossii), is the highest honorary title ...
, and
Hero of Socialist Labour
The Hero of Socialist Labour (russian: links=no, Герой Социалистического Труда, Geroy Sotsialisticheskogo Truda) was an honorific title in the Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact countries from 1938 to 1991. It repre ...
to
Hero of Labour of the Russian Federation
Hero of Labour of the Russian Federation (russian: Герой Труда Российской Федерации) is a state award of Russia. The title is awarded to citizens of Russia for special services in labour to the state and its people asso ...
. A wide range of Soviet awards and decorations cover the extensive and diverse period of history from 1917 to 1991.
Honorary titles
Orders
Military orders
Military and civil orders
Civil orders
Military medals
General
Campaign medals
Second World War defensive campaign medals
Second World War offensive campaign medals
Civilian medals
Development/restoration campaigns
Maternity medals
Commemorative medals
Soviet Armed Forces jubilees
Second World War jubilees
Other commemorative medals
''Note: Several Soviet decorations were worn in full, so a
ribbon bar
A medal ribbon, service ribbon or ribbon bar is a small ribbon, mounted on a small metal bar equipped with an attaching device, which is generally issued for wear in place of a medal when it is not appropriate to wear the actual medal. Each cou ...
was not created. However, since the fall of the USSR, some medals have had ribbon bars created for them. An asterisk, *, denotes these medals. Awards not showing a ribbon are worn in full at all times.''
See also
*
Orders and Medals of Soviet Republics
The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic was founded after the October Revolution in the Russian Empire and very soon had to create an award system. The award systems of parallel Soviet states soon followed and they also created and issued ...
*
Badges and Decorations of the Soviet Union
*
Orders, decorations, and medals of the Russian Federation
The State Award System of the Russian Federation has varied and distinct origins. The first being pre-1917 orders of the Russian Empire re-established after the 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union, the second is from former Soviet orders that w ...
*
Awards and Emblems of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation
*
Awards of the Ministry for Emergency Situations of Russia
Known internationally as EMERCOM, Russia's Ministry for Civil Defence, Emergency Situations and Disaster Relief is composed of both military and civilian personnel. It encompasses land, naval and air assets, the State Fire Service, rescue teams an ...
*
Awards of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia
Known internationally as the MVD, The Ministry of Internal Affairs of The Russian Federation encompasses all militia (police) forces, Interior Troops and the State Migration Service. It has its own ministerial awards system subordinate to state aw ...
*
*
Honorary titles of the Russian Federation
Honorary titles of the Russian Federation (russian: Почётные звания Российской Федерации) are titles given to citizens of the Russian Federation for professional and/or social achievements, but can be revoke ...
*
Orders, decorations, and medals of Belarus
Awards and decorations of Belarus are governed by the Law of the Republic of Belarus on State Awards of 18 May 2004.
The highest award is the title of the Hero of Belarus. The law also specifies orders, medals and honorary titles of Belarus.
He ...
*
*
List of "Umalatova" awards
*
Socialist orders of merit
After the October Revolution, in which the Bolsheviks seized power in Russia, the first Socialist Orders of Merit were founded. After World War II, communists came to power in many other countries and this type of order spread all over the world ...
References
Sources
* Paul D. McDaniel, Paul J. Schmitt (1997). ''The Comprehensive Guide to Soviet Orders and Medals''. .
* V.D. Krivchov (2003). ''AVERS No. 6 Definitive Catalog of Soviet Orders and Medals''. Moscow.
* V.D. Krivchov (2008). ''AVERS No. 8 Definitive Catalog of Soviet Badges and Jetons 1917–1980''. Moscow.
Further reading
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External links
Mondvor NarodA very detailed site on the topic of Soviet Orders and Medals
www.soviet-medals-orders.comA personal website by a collector from Switzerland, Oldrich Andrysek, presenting extensive collection of Soviet, Transdniestrian, Eastern European and some Mongolian awards with descriptions, images, news, reference materials of interest to phalerists and collections of soviet memorabilia. Well-illustrated, with exchange section and info on fraud.
{{Decorations by country
Soviet Union-related lists