Order "For Merits To The Homeland".

[Laurent]

President Vladimir Putin awarded President of the Russian Academy of Sciences Yury Osipov the Order for Services to the Fatherland, first degree.

The President invited Mr Osipov to his residence near Moscow to award the decoration.

Mr Putin congratulated Mr Osipov on the award and on his seventieth birthday, thanking him for his immense contribution to organising science and to scientific work itself. The President presented Mr Osipov with a painting by a Russian artist.

Earlier, Mr Putin sent Mr Osipov a message of congratulations on his seventieth birthday:

“You have devoted your life to science and to preserving the rich historic traditions and potential of the Russian Academy of Sciences”, the President wrote. “Your fundamental works and research in mechanics and mathematics are known throughout the entire world. I am sincerely happy to see that today you are in fine creative form, successfully combining fruitful research and organisational work, and devoting much time and attention to publishing, educational and public work. Your colleagues value you for your competence, truly limitless energy, for your devotion to your chosen cause and your attentive attitude to others.”

[new world]

President Puting better do something of substance to save what's left of Russian science and formerly mighty Academy of Science, instead of awarding trinkets.:banghead

Science in Russia is in such dire situation, that if no measures are taken - the Russian science may be non-existant in 10-15 years.

After the fall of USSR where scientists were in great respect and received rich government funding, the science has been deteriorating steadily. Funding was cut, salaries of scientists are not enough to survive, there's no inflow of new blood into profession. Average age of scientists in Russia is above 50 yrs!!! Young are leaving Russia in large numbers, problem of brain drain should be governments top priority. Most of former research institutes are either closed (with space giving to commercial structures) or on the verge of disappearing.

Any success stories you hear about are not because of Putin, but rather despite his regime. Currently Russia is using up remains of fundamentals put in place by Soviet system. :angerr

William

[Laurent]

Cellist Rostropovich gets medal from the Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded renowned cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich with a state medal. Putin signed a decree awarding Rostropovich with the Order of Service to the Fatherland, First Degree, for his "outstanding contribution to the development of world music and many years of creative activity," the presidential press service said. Rostropovich, 79, was hospitalized earlier this month for unspecified reasons — first in Paris and then in Moscow. His hospitalization was revealed when the Kremlin said Putin had visited him in a Moscow hospital on Feb. 6.

Two Russian newspapers later reported that Rostropovich was being treated at Russia's leading cancer clinic, but aides declined to comment on the reports. His spokeswoman could not immediately be reached for comment Monday on his health or the honor. Rostropovich went into exile from the Soviet Union with his family in 1974 after housing dissident writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn for four years, which cost him his Soviet citizenship. Three years after his exile, he became music director of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington. He held that the position until 1994 and retains the title conductor laureate. Rostropovich developed close musical relationships with three of the mid-20th century's leading composers — Sergei Prokofiev, Benjamin Britten and Dmitri Shostakovich, his teacher. He commissioned dozens of works for cello from them and others.

[Riley1965]

Laurent,
I'm a bit behind on the new ODMs. Do you or anybody have a picture of the Order of Service to the Fatherland, First Degree?

:thumbsup :thumbsup Doc

[Taz]

Could be this one doc, called the Order of Merit though (ОРДЕН ЗА ЗАСЛУГИ ПЕРЕД ОТЕЧЕСТВОМ)

Eddie.