The Medal of Pushkin () is a

state decoration A state decoration is an object, such as a medal or the insignia of an Order (distinction), order, that is awarded by a sovereign state to honor the recipient. The term includes civil awards and decorations, as well as military awards and decorat ...

of the

Russian Federation Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

awarded to its citizens and to foreigners for achievements in the arts and culture, education, humanities and literature. It is named in honour of Russian author and poet Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin.

History

The Medal of Pushkin was established on May 9, 1999 by

Presidential Decree A decree is a legal proclamation, usually issued by a head of state, judge, royal figure, or other relevant authorities, according to certain procedures. These procedures are usually defined by the constitution, Legislative laws, or customary l ...

№ 574, its statute was amended on September 7, 2010 by Presidential Decree № 1099 which completely revamped the awards and honours system of the Russian Federation.

Award statute

The Medal of Pushkin is awarded to citizens of the Russian Federation with at least 20 years in socio-humanitarian activities for achievements in the arts and culture, education, humanities and literature, for great contributions to the study and preservation of the Russian cultural heritage, in the rapprochement and mutual enrichment of cultures of nations and peoples, for the creation of highly artistic images. The Russian Federation order of precedence dictates the medal is to be worn on the left breast with other medals immediately after the Medal of Nesterov.

Award description

The Medal of Pushkin is a circular 32 mm diameter silver medal with raised rims on both the

obverse The obverse and reverse are the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags, seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, ''obverse'' ...

and reverse. The obverse bears a self-portrait (line drawing) of Pushkin's left profile. On the reverse center the horizontal relief signature of Pushkin himself. The signature takes most of the total width of the medal. Under the signature near the lower rim of the medal, the letter "N" in relief and a line reserved for the award serial number. The medal hangs from a standard Russian pentagonal mount by a ring through the medal suspension loop. The mount is covered by an overlapping 24 mm wide azure silk moiré ribbon, with a 2.5 mm golden stripe situated 5 mm from the ribbon's right edge.

Award recipients

*Number of awards of the Medal of Pushkin to 2025: * Natalia Y. Borodin, director of the Pushkin school in Novomoskovsk, Tula Region, received two Medals of Pushkin – 1999 and 2000. *The Medal of Pushkin was also awarded to citizens of the following states: Abkhazia, Afghanistan, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Macedonia, Mali, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, South Ossetia, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Syria, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, USA, and Vietnam. * Many heads of state were also awarded the Medal of Pushkin. A medal awarded to Ian Blatchford in 2015, and personally presented by

Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, having previously served from 2000 to 2008. Putin also served as Prime Minister of Ru ...

, was returned in March 2022, in response to the

Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, , starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thou ...

References

External links