Honorary Title "Hero Of The Russian Federation".

[Nota Bene]

Tal,

This one was probably given just before or after the collapse of the SU. For some reason at this time they have decided to switch to a pin suspension. Look at the reverse of the Hero of Russia Star:

[skipper1939]

The modern replacement for the HSU, the Hero of the Russian Federation, is to be worn in the same spot as the old HSU.

Unless, that is, the holder also is a Hero of the Soviet Union. Then he may wear both. The HRF goes closest to the lapel and the HSU goes right next to it to the outside.

Putin is determined to reconnect modern Russia with the heroic parts of Soviet history. A rather popular goal. I think we should have no problem with that, especially as he is also interested in reconnecting the whole thing with all of Russian history.

Dr. Bob

[new world]

Just announced today - Russian Federation Hero of Russia title is awarded to Ruslan Yamadayev. Award ceremony to be held on August 6, 2004.

Ruslan Yamadayev is a Chechen national and is a Deputy to Russian Duma (Parliament). Interestingly, this the second Hero of Russia star in Yamadayev family, as his brother was awarded with one just recently (about a year or two ago).

Furthermore, in the first Russian-Chechen war the entire Yamadayev family was fighting AGAINST Russia, and later switched sides.

Here's the link to the article:

http://gazeta.ru/2004/08/04/oa_129048.shtml

William

[Dave]

Is there a list of all the HRF (proper acronym?) recipients thus far?

--Dave

[new world]

Recent update on Hero of Russia title:

The latest recepient - Ramzan Khadirov, son of assasinated President of Chechen republic (Akhmad Khadirov was killes by a bomb blast during May holidays celebration in 2004).

Newest Hero is just 28 year old, he's holding one of the key posts in pro-Russian Chechen government, is considered as next President of Chechnya (was too young to run for in elections this year) and was awarded with Hero title on Dec 29, 2004. Official reason for the awarding - special merits.

Interestingly, Ramzan Khadirov is the 4th Chechen politician awarded with Hero title. Hero Star is viewed as bad luck award by Chechens - out of 4 recepients - 2 were assasinated.

[Laurent]

Interesting story of a Hero of the Russian Federation...

This edition of the program is dedicated to a paratrooper-officer, Hero of the Russian Federation Alexander Margelov. In the early 1970s he took part in an unprecedented experiment involving the parachuting of servicemen inside combat machines. Alexander Margelov made 145 jumps during his service in the Airborne Troops.
“Far from anybody can bring oneself to making a parachute jump,” Alexander Margelov says. “To do this, one should have courage and willpower. Every paratrooper should have these qualities. Besides, they should know a lot about what they should do while in the air, such as the way a parachute is opened. These skills should be practiced for second-nature. Then a parachute jump is a short pleasant journey. At least, this is how I take it.”
One can actually say that Alexander Margelov knows since early childhood what military service is about, because his father was the famous battle-tried Army General, Commander of the Russian Airborne Troops Vassily Margelov.
“It is safe to claim,” Alexander Margelov says, “that my father’s feat of life predetermined my destiny. He was live in character, daring, resolute and foolhardy, if necessary. And that was the way he was for the rest of his life. I always wanted to be an exact copy of him, to be of help, to follow his example.”
To achieve this, he always had to be up to standard, which was quite difficult.
“My dad,” Alexander Margelov says, “went parachuting, actually, when already at an advanced age and with all of his eight wounds he’d received in the wars, including the wounds in his legs. Nonetheless, he resolved to make his first parachute jump when he was almost 40.”
Once General Margelov turned up at home after his first jump, he was welcomed by his two little twin sons, Alexander and Vassily. The two had a military uniform sewn especially for the occasion, and although they were just two and a half years old at the time, they congratulated their heroic father strictly in keeping with army regulations, the way they had been taught by adults.
“I remember that scene only from photographs,” Alexander Margelov recalls. “In the photo we are wearing military uniform, namely jackets, trousers, field caps and boots. But it wasn’t really unusual then, given that the war ended a few years before. Many children wore soldier’s tunics they got from their fathers or elder brothers who were back from the fighting. In the photo the two of us look proud. I think we were happy to have a real uniform that fitted us perfectly.”
“Man should be ready to accomplish a feat of heroism,” Alexander’s father told him. There was no way for the son of a famous paratrooper to avoid mastering parachuting. Besides, he was only too eager to learn. Alexander Margelov was 18 when he made his first jump. Later he brought this skill to perfection. But one of his 145 jumps was very special.

“In December 1975 I was on a business trip in India,” Alexander Margelov says, “where we presented Soviet-made parachuting equipment. We also made parachute jumps to prove the worth of the equipment. It was then that I made my first jump linked to a freight container, meant for dropping radio stations. It hung under me on a rope. Once the parachute opened, I was to unhook the container. The airfield was quite small. The landing area was limited by a high concrete fence, with a huge branchy baobab growing by. A highway ran beyond the fence, with power transmission line supporting structures built right in the middle of it. The plane we jumped from was a civil aircraft, and the navigator had not trained to parachute people, so he obviously made some mistake. When I jumped out, I saw I was rushing past the baobab to the fence. I was wondering, which of the two was in store for me, that’s whether I would hit the concrete fence or I would land on the transmission line wires. But my Guardian Angel clearly handled the situation, since the freight container below me caught on to a big branch of the baobab, while the parachute canopy leapt over the transmission line wires. As a result I hung in mid-air, just several meters off the ground. So this proved to be the softest, yet most exciting landing in my military career. Later my friends told me that I was been born under a lucky star. They were absolutely right.”
Alexander Margelov was fortunate to make true his father’s cherished dream, namely to jump inside armored vehicles rather than make the crews parachute after the vehicles, as was the case before. This made it possible to increase mobility and combat ability of a landing force by an order of magnitude. Alexander Margelov was instructed to start training for the first such landing, inside an armored vehicle. He came to be one of the two trailblazers who performed the daring experiment.
“When it came to candidacies for landing inside armored vehicles, I was quick to put in a request,” Alexander Margelov says. “Actually I wrote it long before my dad had suggested that I should take part in the experimental landing. When he asked me what I thought of it, I just handed over my request to him. He was kind of taken aback, yet he was obviously glad that I was determined to make that jump.”
That was the first ever landing of paratroopers inside combat vehicles. Those who took part in the experiment had to go through lengthy preliminary testing to make sure they could stand the overload and would be able to accomplish the mission upon landing. The requirements set were stringent, and the risk the trailblazers ran was really grave. They were to land without their personal parachutes, since there was no room to place these inside the armored vehicles.
Yet, the experiment that took place on January 5, 1973, proved quite a success. Alexander Margelov says that during the landing the crew felt they were almost in a state of weightlessness, especially when they suddenly turned head first, right after being dropped from the aircraft. For a while their armored vehicle swung back and forth in the air like a pendulum. And at last there came the landing - as a sharp blow, and after that both the parachuted combat vehicle and the people were motionless. Just for a second. So, they HAD DONE it, after all!
The crew had perfectly accomplished their mission, and both paratroopers, that’s Leonid Zuyev and Alexander Margelov, were awarded the Order of the Red Star.
After that the Airborne Troop division staff were dropped in a show landing inside their armoured vehicles, and they too parachuted safely.

Alexander Margelov tested three different landing systems, including a very complex but also extremely promising parachute and retro-rocket system “Reactavr” in January 1976.
“We specially waited for winter to come, so we could land on snow during the testing,” Alexander Margelov says. “But we were clearly fated to be tested for self-control and steadfastness, for we landed on a smooth ice-covered road. It was quite an overload, and we experienced the effect of it in full measure.”
Nonetheless, the crew stood the strength test by not only landing safely, but also fulfilling the set task. After the experiment of unparalleled complexity was over, those who carried it out, that’s Major Alexander Margelov and Lieutenant-Colonel Leonid Shcherbakov were recommended for the topmost Soviet decoration, Hero of the Soviet Union. But they received the Stars of Heroes only 20 years later, so these turned out to be the Stars of Hero of the Russian Federation, since by that time the Soviet Union ceased to exist.
Today retired Colonel Alexander Margelov often meets young paratroopers, military cadets and schoolchildren.
“Since I have certain airborne troop experience,” Alexander Margelov says in conclusion, “it is important to share it with young people, to tell them about the way our generation of people was brought up, to inculcate ardent patriotism in them. We must tell them that they can always accomplish a feat of heroism. They should know that they are the defenders of their Motherland, and its future depends on them. It is only thanks to their efforts that our Homeland can grow strong and prosperous.”

[Laurent]

President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday bestowed the country's highest honour on a shepherd who saved 500 sheep from armed marauders and wildfires.

Babu-Dorzho Mikhailov became the first shepherd ever to receive the Hero of Russia medal, which Putin presented to him in the Kremlin's ornate Yekaterininsky Hall, outshining dozens of artists, doctors and scientists who received lesser state honours.

The article has been published on 10/10/2007 by The Moscow Times

Has anyone read the entire article?

[Laurent]

A HSU received at the same time the star and an Order of Lenin but what's the procedure with a Hero of the Russian Federation? Does the recipient receive another order/medal than the star itself? I can not find the answer in my reference books...

Thanks!

[Taz]

Hi Laurent,

As far as I know just the Hero star and the title Hero of the Russian Federation are awarded.

Regards Eddie.

[Nota Bene]

I second that. According to the 1992 Ukaz, only the Hero Star and the Gramota.

Alexei