The ribbon of Saint George (also known as Saint George's ribbon, the Georgian ribbon; russian: Георгиевская ленточка, Georgiyevskaya lentochka; and the Guards ribbon in Soviet context: see

Terminology Terminology is a group of specialized words and respective meanings in a particular field, and also the study of such terms and their use; the latter meaning is also known as terminology science. A ''term'' is a word, compound word, or multi-wo ...

for further information) is a Russian military symbol consisting of a black and orange bicolour pattern, with three black and two orange stripes. It appears as a component of many high

military decorations Military awards and decorations are distinctions given as a mark of honor for military heroism, meritorious or outstanding service or achievement. DoD Manual 1348.33, 2010, Vol. 3 A decoration is often a medal consisting of a ribbon and a medal ...

awarded by the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War ...

, the

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 nationa ...

and the current

Russian Federation Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

. In the early 21st century, the ribbon of Saint George has come to be used as an

awareness ribbon Awareness ribbons are symbols meant to show support or raise consciousness for a cause. Different colours and patterns are associated with different issues. Yellow ribbons, in the United States, are used to show that a close family member is ...

for commemorating the veterans of the Eastern Front of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

(known in post-Soviet countries as the

Great Patriotic War The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of conflict between the European Axis powers against the Soviet Union (USSR), Poland and other Allies, which encompassed Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Northeast Europe (Baltics), an ...

). It is the primary symbol used associated with

Victory Day Victory Day is a commonly used name for public holidays in various countries, where it commemorates a nation's triumph over a hostile force in a war or the liberation of a country from hostile occupation. In many cases, multiple countries may ob ...

. It enjoys wide popularity in Russia as a patriotic symbol, as well as a way to show public support to the

Russian government The Government of Russia exercises executive power in the Russian Federation. The members of the government are the prime minister, the deputy prime ministers, and the federal ministers. It has its legal basis in the Constitution of the Russ ...

. Since 2014, the symbol has become much more controversial in certain post-Soviet states such as

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inva ...

and the

Baltic states The Baltic states, et, Balti riigid or the Baltic countries is a geopolitical term, which currently is used to group three countries: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. All three countries are members of NATO, the European Union, the Eurozone ...

, due to its association with pro-Russian and separatist sentiment. The symbol is particularly controversial in Ukraine since the 2022 invasion by Russia, when Russian forces used it in occupied parts of the country, and it has been associated with Russian nationalism and militarism.

Terminology

Russian navy ensign of the order of Nakhimov on the battlecruiser Moskva

As the ribbon of Saint George has been used by different Russian governments, multiple terms exist for it in the Russian language. The ribbon first received a formal name in the

, in documents prescribing its usage as an award: the Georgian ribbon (russian: георгиевская лента, ''georgiyevskaya lenta''). The old Tsarist term was used in the

to describe the black-orange ribbon in the Soviet award system, but only in non-official contexts, such as the Military History Journal published by the

Soviet Ministry of Defense The Ministry of Defense (Minoboron; russian: Министерство обороны СССР) was a government ministry in the Soviet Union. The first Minister of Defense was Nikolai Bulganin, starting 1953. The Krasnaya Zvezda (Red Star) was the ...

. Formally, the black-orange ribbon on the badges, flags and cap tallies of

Guards unit Guards units (russian: Гвардия, translit=Gvardiya) were elite units and formations in the Soviet Armed Forces that continue to exist in the Russian Armed Forces and other post-Soviet states. These units were awarded Guards status after di ...

s was called the Guards ribbon (russian: гвардейская лента, ''gvardeyskaya lenta''), while the same ribbon as it was used in other Soviet awards had no official name. In the military terminology of the

, both Tsarist and Soviet terms are used. The modern term ''георгиевская ленточка'' (''georgiyevskaya lentochka'', distinguished from the Tsarist term by the usage of the

diminutive A diminutive is a root word that has been modified to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment. A ( abbreviated ) is a word-form ...

) comes from the Russian 2005 program of the same name, and is used to refer to the mass-produced

s as opposed to the original military awards. The usage of the epithet ''Georgian'' in reference to that ribbon is subject to controversy in Russia, due to its Tsarist connotations, and thus sometimes the term ''Guards ribbon'' is used to refer to the modern ribbons as well, as they are meant to commemorate the Soviet period of Russian history.

History

Origins

Gold Weapon of the Order of Saint George (Russia)

The Georgian ribbon emerged as part of the

Order of Saint George The Order of Saint George (russian: Орден Святого Георгия, Orden Svyatogo Georgiya) is the highest military decoration of the Russian Federation. Originally established on 26 November 1769 Julian (7 December 1769 Gregorian) a ...

, established in 1769 as the highest military decoration of

Imperial Russia The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. The ...

(and re-established in 1998 by

Presidential decree A decree is a legal proclamation, usually issued by a head of state (such as the president of a republic or a monarch), according to certain procedures (usually established in a constitution). It has the force of law. The particular term used for ...

signed by then

President of Russia The president of the Russian Federation ( rus, Президент Российской Федерации, Prezident Rossiyskoy Federatsii) is the head of state of the Russian Federation. The president leads the executive branch of the federa ...

Boris Yeltsin Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin ( rus, Борис Николаевич Ельцин, p=bɐˈrʲis nʲɪkɐˈla(j)ɪvʲɪtɕ ˈjelʲtsɨn, a=Ru-Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin.ogg; 1 February 1931 – 23 April 2007) was a Soviet and Russian politician wh ...

). While the Order of Saint George was normally not a collective award, the ribbon was sometimes granted to regiments and units that performed brilliantly during wartime and constituted an integral part of some collective battle honours (such as

banners A banner can be a flag or another piece of cloth bearing a symbol, logo, slogan or another message. A flag whose design is the same as the shield in a coat of arms (but usually in a square or rectangular shape) is called a banner of arms. Also ...

and pennants). When not awarded the full Order, some distinguished officers were granted ceremonial swords, adorned with the Georgian ribbon. In 1806, distinctive Georgian banners were introduced as a further battle honour awarded to meritorious Guards and

Leib Guard The Russian Imperial Guard, officially known as the Leib Guard (russian: Лейб-гвардия ''Leyb-gvardiya'', from German ''Leib'' "body"; cf. Life Guards / Bodyguard) were military units serving as personal guards of the Emperor of Ru ...

regiments. These banners had the Cross of Saint George as their

finial A finial (from '' la, finis'', end) or hip-knob is an element marking the top or end of some object, often formed to be a decorative feature. In architecture, it is a small decorative device, employed to emphasize the apex of a dome, spire, towe ...

s and were adorned with 4.44 cm wide Georgian ribbons. It remained the highest collective military award in the

Imperial Russian Army The Imperial Russian Army (russian: Ру́сская импера́торская а́рмия, tr. ) was the armed land force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian Ar ...

until the Revolution in 1917. In the original statute of the

, written in 1769, the currently orange stripes of the ribbon were described as yellow; however, they were frequently rendered as orange in practice, and the orange colour was later formalised in the 1913 statute. The colours are said to symbolise fire and gunpowder of war, the death and resurrection of

Saint George Saint George ( Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin: Georgius, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldie ...

, or the colours of the original Russian imperial coat of arms (black

double-headed eagle In heraldry and vexillology, the double-headed eagle (or double-eagle) is a charge associated with the concept of Empire. Most modern uses of the symbol are directly or indirectly associated with its use by the late Byzantine Empire, origi ...

on a golden escutcheon). Another theory is that they are, in fact, German in origin, derived from the or and

sable The sable (''Martes zibellina'') is a species of marten, a small omnivorous mammal primarily inhabiting the forest environments of Russia, from the Ural Mountains throughout Siberia, and northern Mongolia. Its habitat also borders eastern Kaza ...

stripe patterns found on the heraldry of the

House of Ascania The House of Ascania (german: Askanier) was a dynasty of German rulers. It is also known as the House of Anhalt, which refers to its longest-held possession, Anhalt. The Ascanians are named after Ascania (or Ascaria) Castle, known as ''Schlos ...

, from which Catherine II originated, or the County of

Ballenstedt Ballenstedt is a town in the Harz district, in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. Geography It is situated at the northern rim of the Harz mountain range, about 10 km (6 mi) southeast of Quedlinburg. The municipal area comprises the vil ...

, the house's ancient demesne. Za_pobedu_nad_germaniej

The original Georgian ribbons disappeared alongside all other Tsarist awards after the

October Revolution The October Revolution,. officially known as the Great October Socialist Revolution. in the Soviet Union, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was a revolution in Russia led by the Bolshevik Party of Vladimir Lenin that was a key mom ...

, although wearing a previously earned Cross of Saint George was allowed. However, the symbol would reappear during the

, as a symbol of office for the newly established

s, whose badges and banners were adorned with black and orange ribbons in a similar manner to old Imperial regiments Later, the same ribbon would be used for the

Order of Glory Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...

(russian: Орден Славы, ''Orden Slavy''), an award given for bravery to soldiers and non-commissioned officers similar to the Tsarist Cross of Saint George, and the medal "For the Victory over Germany" (russian: За победу над Германией, ''Za pobedu nad Germaniyey''), awarded to almost all veterans who participated in Eastern Front campaigns. As part of the original Tsarist awards, the ribbon was also used by the

collaborationist Wartime collaboration is cooperation with the enemy against one's country of citizenship in wartime, and in the words of historian Gerhard Hirschfeld, "is as old as war and the occupation of foreign territory". The term ''collaborator'' dates to ...

Russian Liberation Army The Russian Liberation Army; russian: Русская освободительная армия, ', abbreviated as (), also known as the Vlasov army after its commander Andrey Vlasov, was a collaborationist formation, primarily composed of Rus ...

. After the war, the ribbon would be sometimes used in

postcard A postcard or post card is a piece of thick paper or thin cardboard, typically rectangular, intended for writing and mailing without an envelope. Non-rectangular shapes may also be used but are rare. There are novelty exceptions, such as woo ...

s commemorating the veterans of the war; however, the ribbon did not hold the public significance it has today.

21st century

Russia

In 2005, to mark the 60th anniversary of

(9 May 1945), the news agency

RIA Novosti RIA Novosti (russian: РИА Новости), sometimes referred to as RIAN () or RIA (russian: РИА, label=none) is a Russian state-owned domestic news agency. On 9 December 2013 by a decree of Vladimir Putin it was liquidated and its asset ...

and the youth civic organization РООСПМ «Студенческая Община» launched a campaign that called on volunteers to distribute ribbons in the streets ahead of Victory Day. Since then, civilians in Russia and other former republics of the Soviet Union have worn the ribbon as an act of commemoration and remembrance. For the naming of the ribbons the

form is used: георгиевская ленточка (''georgiyevskaya lentochka'', "small George ribbon"). Since 2005 the ribbon is distributed each year all over Russia and around the world in advance of 9 May and is on that day widely to be seen on wrists, lapels, and cars.Russia awash with symbols of WW2 victory

BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broadc ...

8 May 2015 The public campaign is associated with other symbols, such as the motto: "We remember, we are proud!" (russian: Мы помним, мы гордимся!) ''

Novaya Gazeta ''Novaya Gazeta'' ( rus, Новая газета, t=New Gazette, p=ˈnovəjə ɡɐˈzʲetə) is an independent Russian newspaper known for its critical and investigative coverage of Russian political and social affairs. It is published in Mo ...

'' columnist

Yulia Latynina Yulia Leonidovna Latynina (russian: Ю́лия Леони́довна Латы́нина; born 16 June 1966) is a Russian writer and journalist. She is a columnist for ''Novaya Gazeta'' and the most popular host at the Echo of Moscow radio stat ...

and other journalists have speculated the Russian government introduced the ribbon as a

public-relations Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing and disseminating information from an individual or an organization (such as a business, government agency, or a nonprofit organization) to the public in order to influence their perception. ...

response to the 2004

Orange Revolution The Orange Revolution ( uk, Помаранчева революція, translit=Pomarancheva revoliutsiia) was a series of protests and political events that took place in Ukraine from late November 2004 to January 2005, in the immediate afterm ...

in which demonstrators had adopted

orange ribbon The orange ribbon is a symbol adopted for a very wide variety of uses in different places. Worldwide The orange ribbon is used for the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. This is held in March and coin ...

s as their symbol. Subsequently, Russian nationalist and government loyalist groups have adopted the ribbon. During the

2011–2013 Russian protests The 2011–2013 Russian protests, which some English language media referred to as the Snow Revolution, began in 2011 (as protests against the 2011 Russian legislative election results) and continued into 2012 and 2013. The protests were motivate ...

, protestors demonstrating against electoral fraud in the

2011 elections The following elections occurred in the year 2011. * Local electoral calendar 2011 * National electoral calendar 2011 * 2011 United Nations Security Council election Africa * 2011 Beninese presidential election * 2011 Beninese parliamentary ...

wore white ribbons. Supporters of Putin would counter-protest wearing Saint George's ribbons. On 28 April 2016 a group of people from the National Freedom Movement wearing St. George ribbons attacked a school competition organized by the

Memorial A memorial is an object or place which serves as a focus for the memory or the commemoration of something, usually an influential, deceased person or a historical, tragic event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or works of ...

society, pouring a toxic solution of Brilliant Green on writer Ludmila Ulitskaya and other guests and assaulting a journalist. The Russian ultranationalist group National Liberation Movement ( ru , Национально-освободительное движение - NOD) has adopted a flag of orange and black horizontal stripes as its symbol. During the

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. A ...

, the colors of the ribbon were used in conjunction with the "Z" military symbol, which became a pro-war symbol that appeared across Russia.

Ukraine

During the events of 2014 in Ukraine, anti-Maidan activists and the pro-Russian population of Ukraine (especially in the south-east regions) used the ribbon as a symbol of pro-Russian and separatist sentiment. Pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine used the ribbon as a symbol of loyalty, while Ukrainians loyalists used the derogatory term "kolorady" (russian: колорады; uk, колоради) to describe pro-Russian separatists in reference to the

Colorado potato beetle The Colorado potato beetle (''Leptinotarsa decemlineata''), also known as the Colorado beetle, the ten-striped spearman, the ten-lined potato beetle, or the potato bug, is a major pest of potato crops. It is about long, with a bright yellow/o ...

, and the ribbon was referred to as the "Colorado ribbon" (russian: колорадская лента, ''koloradskaya lenta''; uk, колорадська стрічка, ''kolorads'ka strichka''). Since 2014, incidents over the ribbon would occur during

celebrations on 9 May. In April 2014 the veterans of

Kropyvnytskyi Kropyvnytskyi ( uk, Кропивницький, Kropyvnytskyi ) is a city in central Ukraine on the Inhul river with a population of . It is an administrative center of the Kirovohrad Oblast. Over its history, Kropyvnytskyi has changed its nam ...

banned the symbol from

celebrations "in order to prevent provocations between the activists of different movements". Instead, only Ukrainian state symbols would be used. The next month

Cherkasy Cherkasy ( uk, Черка́си, ) is a city in central Ukraine. Cherkasy is the capital of Cherkasy Oblast ( province), as well as the administrative center of Cherkasky Raion (district) within the oblast. The city has a population of C ...

urged veterans and supporters not to wear the ribbon or any other party symbols. The Ukrainian government replaced the ribbon with a red-and-black remembrance poppy, like those associated with

Remembrance Day Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day owing to the tradition of wearing a remembrance poppy) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces members who have died in ...

in Western Europe in 2014. On 16 May 2017, the ribbon was officially banned in the country, with those who produce or promote the symbol subject to fines or temporary arrest. According to Speaker

Andriy Parubiy Andriy Volodymyrovych Parubiy ( uk, Андрій Володимирович Парубій; born 31 January 1971) is a Ukrainian politician

( People's Front), the symbol had become a symbol of "Russia's aggression and occupation of Ukraine".

Belarus

On 5 May 2014, the

Belarusian Republican Youth Union The Belarusian Republican Youth Union ( be, Беларускі рэспубліканскі саюз моладзі, Bielaruski respublikanski sajuz moladzi (БРСМ), russian: Белорусский республиканский союз мо� ...

encouraged activists not to use the ribbon. Other officials reported that the decision not to use the symbol was related to the situation in Ukraine, "where the ribbon is used by militants and terrorists". In time for Victory Day 2015, the ribbon's colors were replaced by the red, green and white from the former

Flag of Belarus The national flag of Belarus is a red-and-green flag with a white-and-red ornament pattern placed at the hoist (staff) end. The current design was introduced in 2012 by the State Committee for Standardisation of the Republic of Belarus, and ...

Canada

During preparation for the first Victory Day parade in the Canadian city of

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749 ...

on 10 May 2014, the Russian embassy distributed Ribbons of Saint George to participants. The move was considered controversial to the local Ukrainian community in view of the ongoing events in Ukraine.

Latvia

Latvia's Parliament has approved a ban on the public display of Nazi and Soviet symbols, including swastikas and the hammer and sickle, and the singing and promotion of fascist and communist anthems and ideologies. On 11 November 2021,

Lāčplēsis Day Lāčplēsis Day ( lv, Lāčplēša diena) is a memorial day for soldiers who fought for the independence of Latvia. It is celebrated on November 11th, marking the decisive victory by the Latvian Army over the West Russian Volunteer Army – a ...

, the

Saeima The Saeima () is the parliament of the Republic of Latvia. It is a unicameral parliament consisting of 100 members who are elected by proportional representation, with seats allocated to political parties which gain at least 5% of the popular v ...

approved an amendment of the law on Security and Public Entertainment and Festive Events banning the use of the ribbon in public events.

Lithuania

The ban on similar grounds to that in Latvia was discussed after the Russian annexation of Crimea. The ribbon was finally banned, along with "Z" and "V" military symbols, in response to the

Moldova

On 7 April 2022, the

Moldovan Parliament The Parliament of the Republic of Moldova is the supreme representative body of the Republic of Moldova, the only state legislative authority, being a unicameral structure composed of 101 elected MPs on lists, for a period of 4 years. Parliamen ...

voted to ban the ribbon following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. The military symbols "Z" and "V" were also banned.

Estonia

The Riigikogu passed legislation to ban the use of St George Ribbon after the full-scale Russo-Ukrainian conflict broke out on the 24th of February 2022. The law also provides that it is not allowed to publicly exhibit symbols connected with the commission of an act of aggression, genocide, a crime against humanity or a war crime in a way that expresses support to Nazi or justifies such activities. This is punishable by a fine of up to 300 fine units or €1200, or detention. If such an act is committed by a legal person, it is punishable by a fine of up to €32,000.

Gallery

File:Fabergé - Imperial presentation box - Google Art Project.jpg,

Nicholas II of Russia Nicholas II or Nikolai II Alexandrovich Romanov; spelled in pre-revolutionary script. ( 186817 July 1918), known in the Russian Orthodox Church as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer,. was the last Emperor of Russia, King of Congress Polan ...

was a recipient of the

Order of St. George The Order of Saint George (russian: Орден Святого Георгия, Orden Svyatogo Georgiya) is the highest military decoration of the Russian Federation. Originally established on 26 November 1769 Julian (7 December 1769 Gregorian) a ...

(Fourth Class) File:Catherine II by J.B.Lampi (1780s, Kunsthistorisches Museum).jpg,

Catherine II , en, Catherine Alexeievna Romanova, link=yes , house = , father = Christian August, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst , mother = Joanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp , birth_date = , birth_name = Princess Sophie of Anhal ...

wearing the

sash File:Эрнст Липгарт - Портрет Великого Князя Михаила Николаевича.jpg,

Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich of Russia Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich of Russia (25 October 1832 – 18 December 1909) was the fourth son and seventh child of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia and Charlotte of Prussia. He was the first owner of the New Michael Palace on the Palace Quay i ...

with the

sash (first class) File:Gannibal I A.jpg, Ivan Gannibal with the Ribbon of St. George File:MoD Guards beret badge plastic.jpg, Beret badge with ribbon of St George of a Russian Federation Guards unit File:Russian Standard St George 1817.jpg, Saint George Standard of the Life Guard Cuirassier Regiment 1817 File:Georgievskaya lentochka.jpg, Ribbon of Saint George on a car antenna, Moscow, May 2008 File:4mayrehearsal 18.jpg, Ribbon of Saint George decal on the

Kurganets-25 The Kurganets-25 (russian: Курганец-25) is a tracked, 25-ton modular infantry fighting vehicle and armored personnel carrier being developed for the Russian Army. The Kurganets-25 will evolve into various models, gradually replacing BMP, ...

File:2014-05-09. День Победы в Донецке 353.jpg, Pro-Russian separatist Vostok Battalion member wearing a Saint George ribbon armband File:300 ОМП.png, Shoulder sleeve insignia of the

300th Mechanized Regiment (Ukraine) The 300th Guards Mechanized Regiment () was a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. The full name of the regiment is the 300th Separate Guards Mechanized Budapest Regiment.25th Airborne Brigade (Ukraine) The 25th Separate Airbone Sicheslav Brigade ( uk, 25-та окрема повітрянодесантна Січеславська бригада) is an airborne formation of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces. It is the only airborne unit of Ukra ...

File:6-й армійський корпус.png, Sleeve patch of the

6th Army Corps (Ukraine) The 6th Army Corps () was one of three army corps of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. The Corps was headquartered in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine. Its units were spread across Poltava Oblast, Sumy Oblast, Kharkiv Oblast, and Kirovohrad Oblast. The Corp ...

(disbanded in 2013) File:Military parade on Red Square 2016-05-09 037.jpg,

Topol-M The RT-2PM2 «Topol-M» (russian: РТ-2ПМ2 «Тополь-М», NATO reporting name: SS-27 "Sickle B", other designations: SS-27 Mod 1, RS-12M1, RS-12M2, formerly incorrectly RT-2UTTKh) is one of the most recent intercontinental ballistic missi ...

participating in a military parade on

Red Square Red Square ( rus, Красная площадь, Krasnaya ploshchad', ˈkrasnəjə ˈploɕːətʲ) is one of the oldest and largest squares in Moscow, the capital of Russia. Owing to its historical significance and the adjacent historical build ...

File:Letter Z in the colours of the Russian Ribbon of Saint George withHashtag.svg, Z-shaped Saint George ribbon used in the

2022 invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. An ...

with the hashtag: # СвоихНеБросаем (#SvoikhNeBrosaem; "We don't abandon our own") File:Red Star and ribbon of Saint George decal on Russian military vehicles.svg, Red Star and ribbon of Saint George decal on Russian military vehicles

Flags

On July 21, 1992, by the

Decree of the President of Russia A Decree of the President of the Russian Federation (russian: Указ Президента Российской Федерации; ''Ukaz Prezidenta Rossiyskoy Federatsii'') or Executive Order (Decree) of the President of Russia is a legal act ( ...

under

, the need for new naval banners for the

was created under decree No. 798. Article 1, section 2 states the description of the "Guards naval flag" with the "Guards Ribbon" located in the middle of the lower half of the flag, symmetrically relative to the middle vertical line of the flag. The usage of the Soviet term "Guards Ribbon" in modern Russian laws were only in reference of the Guards units of the Soviet Navy. These units were subsequently acquired by the newly formed Russian Navy after the collapse of the Soviet Union. File:Odessa_Russian_Spring_2014040609.JPG, Pro-Russian demonstration in

Odessa Odesa (also spelled Odessa) is the third most populous city and municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea. The city is also the administrativ ...

in 2014 File:Гвардейский военно-морской флаг эсминца Гремящий.JPG, 1942-1950 Guards Naval Flag File:Russia, Guards naval flag 1992.svg, First Guards naval flag of the Russian Navy, 1992-2000 File:Russia, Guards naval flag 2000.svg, Second version of the Guards naval flag, reverted to the historical color of the original St Andrews's flag, 2000

Medals

file:Order of St. George, 4th class RF.jpg, Russian Federation Order of Saint George 4th class file:Cross of St George 3rd class.jpg, Imperial Cross of Saint George 3rd class 1807 – 1917 (enlisted award) File:St George Medal I.jpg, Medal of St. George 1st class file:Za pobedu nad germaniej.jpg, Soviet Medal "For Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" file:Order of Glory 3rd class.jpg, Soviet

3rd class File:Capture of Berlin OBVERSE.jpg,

Medal "For the Capture of Berlin" The Medal "For the Capture of Berlin" (russian: Медаль «За взятие Берлина») was a World War II campaign medal of the Soviet Union established on June 9, 1945 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to ...

File:40yearsvictory.jpg,

Jubilee Medal "Forty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" The Jubilee Medal "Forty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (russian: Юбилейная медаль «Сорок лет Победы в Великой Отечественной войне 1941—1945 гг.») was a s ...

File:30yearsvictory.jpg,

Jubilee Medal "Thirty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" The Jubilee Medal "Thirty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (russian: Юбилейная медаль «Тридцать лет Победы в Великой Отечественной войне 1941–1945 гг.») was a ...

File:Nagradigosukrmedal 008 ukr.jpg, 60 Years of Ukraine's Liberation from Nazi Invaders Jubilee Medal File:65 ann WW2 obverse.jpg, Jubilee Medal "65 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" File:50 ann WW2 obverse.jpg, 50 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War File:2017-01-15. Медаль 01.jpg, Defender of the Motherland Medal (Ukraine) 1999–2015 File:70-let-pobedy.jpg,

Jubilee Medal "70 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" The Jubilee Medal "70 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (russian: Юбилейная медаль «70 лет Победы в Великой Отечественной войне 1941–1945 гг.») is a state commemorativ ...

File:Medal of Zhukov.jpg,

Medal of Zhukov The Medal of Zhukov (russian: медаль Жукова) is a state award of the Russian Federation initially awarded to veterans of the Great Patriotic War but now awarded to serving members of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. It is ...

File:Orden Voinskoy Slavy.jpg, Order of Military Glory (Belarus) File:70letnemfash.jpg, Jubilee medal in honor of the 70th anniversary of liberation of Belarus from Nazi invaders

Guards Badge

file:Chest_badge_Guards_Russian_Federation.png, Guards badge of the

Armed Forces of the Russian Federation The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (, ), commonly referred to as the Russian Armed Forces, are the military forces of Russia. In terms of active-duty personnel, they are the world's fifth-largest military force, with at least two m ...

File:Belarusian guard unit badge.png, Guards badge of the

Armed Forces of Belarus The Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus (, ) consist of the Ground Forces and the Air Force and Air Defence Forces, all under the command of the Republic of Belarus Ministry of Defence. Being a landlocked country, Belarus has no navy. In 2 ...

File:Нагрудний знак «Гвардія» (ф).png, Guards badge of the

Armed Forces of Ukraine , imports = , exports = , history = , ranks = Military ranks of Ukraine , country=Ukraine The Armed Forces of Ukraine ( uk, Збро́йні си́ли Украї́ни), most commonly know ...

, established in 2005, removed in 2016 File:Guards sign for the Soviet Navy.png, Guards badge for the Soviet Navy

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ribbon Of Saint George Russo-Ukrainian War Eastern Front (World War II) Military awards and decorations of Russia National symbols of Russia Awareness ribbon Political symbols