Hero of the Russian Federation

Hero of the Russian Federation
Name	Hero of the Russian Federation
Caption	The ribbon of the Gold Star medal
Awarded for	Heroic deeds and service to the state
Country	Russian Federation
Presenter	President of Russia
Status	Active
First award	1992
Total	~1,100

Hero of the Russian Federation. It is the highest honorary title of the Russian Federation, awarded for services to the state and people associated with the accomplishment of a heroic deed. The award, established in the aftermath of the dissolution of the Soviet Union, serves as the direct successor to the Soviet-era title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Bestowed by decree of the President of Russia, it is often conferred posthumously and carries with it the nation's most prestigious state decoration, the Gold Star medal.

History and establishment

The title was formally established on March 20, 1992, by the law of the Russian Federation No. 2553-1, signed by President Boris Yeltsin, filling the void left by the discontinued Hero of the Soviet Union. Its creation was part of a broader effort to develop a new system of state awards for the nascent Russian state following the Belavezha Accords. The first decrees awarding the title were signed in April 1992, with the initial recipients including Soviet Air Force test pilot and cosmonaut Anatoly Solovyev for his work in the Soviet space program, and Major General Sulambek Oskanov, who was posthumously honored for preventing his stricken MiG-29 from crashing into a village during a training flight. The award's legal framework was further solidified with the adoption of the 1993 Constitution of Russia and subsequent presidential decrees governing state honors.

Award criteria and process

The title is awarded for "services to the state and the people associated with the accomplishment of a heroic deed." This encompasses extraordinary acts of valor and self-sacrifice performed in defense of the state, during military service, in the line of civic duty, or in other circumstances involving risk to life. The process is initiated by a submission to the President of Russia, typically from federal executive bodies, the Ministry of Defence (Russia), or regional authorities. The Presidential Executive Office's State Awards Department reviews the proposals before a presidential decree is issued. A key feature is that it can be awarded only once to an individual, though a recipient may later receive other high honors like the Order of St. George.

Design and insignia

The primary insignia is the Gold Star medal, a five-pointed star made of gold, suspended from a rectangular silk moiré ribbon in the colors of the Flag of Russia—white, blue, and red. The obverse features smooth, diverging rays, while the reverse is plain and bears the inscription "Hero of Russia" and a serial number. The design consciously echoes the Gold Star (USSR) medal of the Soviet era, maintaining visual continuity with the past. Recipients also receive a special certificate, or gramota, signed by the president. The medal is worn on the left side of the chest above all other Russian orders and medals.

Recipients and notable awards

As of the mid-2020s, the title has been awarded to approximately 1,100 individuals. Early recipients were often military personnel, cosmonauts like Valery Polyakov and Sergei Krikalev, and individuals involved in the First Chechen War. A significant number have been awarded posthumously, particularly to soldiers and officers who died in conflicts such as the Second Chechen War, the War in Donbas, and the Russian military intervention in Syria. Notable living recipients include Alexander Karelin, the legendary wrestler, and Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of the Chechen Republic. The secrecy surrounding many awards, especially for operations of the GRU and Special Operations Forces (Russia), means the full list of recipients is not publicly disclosed.

Legal status and privileges

The title is enshrined in the federal law "On the State Awards of the Russian Federation." Holders are entitled to a monthly monetary allowance, tax benefits, and preferential access to medical care and public housing. They receive a 50% discount on utilities and have priority for installation of residential telephones. Furthermore, they are granted an annual paid vacation at a time of their choosing and free travel on public transport within their region. These privileges are regulated by both federal and regional legislation, with some federal subjects of Russia providing additional benefits. The title is permanent and cannot be revoked, except posthumously in cases of proven disgraceful conduct.

Related awards and distinctions

Within the Russian award system, it holds the highest rank, followed by other high honors such as the Order of St. George and the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland". It is part of a historical continuum of supreme hero titles in Russian history, including the imperial Order of St. George and the Soviet Hero of the Soviet Union and Hero of Socialist Labour. Other Commonwealth of Independent States countries have established similar highest awards, such as Ukraine's Hero of Ukraine and Belarus's Hero of Belarus. The related title of Hero of the Russian Federation (Labor) was established in 2013 to honor exceptional achievements in professional and economic activities, mirroring the Soviet distinction between military and labor heroism.

Category:Awards established in 1992 Category:Orders, decorations, and medals of Russia Category:Military awards and decorations of Russia