The ribbon of Saint George (also known as Saint George's ribbon, the Georgian ribbon; ; and the Guards ribbon in Soviet context) 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. A decoration is often a medal consisting of a ribbon and a medallion. Civil decorations awarded ...

awarded by the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

, the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

and the current

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 ...

. 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 consciousness raising, raise consciousness for a cause. Different colors and patterns are associated with different issues. Awareness ribbons can be worn on clothing like pins, they can be ...

for commemorating the veterans of the Eastern Front of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

(known in Russia and some post-Soviet countries as the

Great Patriotic War The Eastern Front, also known as the Great Patriotic War (term), Great Patriotic War in the Soviet Union and its successor states, and the German–Soviet War in modern Germany and Ukraine, was a Theater (warfare), theatre of World War II ...

). It is the primary symbol used in association 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. Since 2014, the symbol has become much more controversial in certain post-Soviet states such as

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

and the

Baltic states The Baltic states or the Baltic countries is a geopolitical term encompassing Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. All three countries are members of NATO, the European Union, the Eurozone, and the OECD. The three sovereign states on the eastern co ...

, due to its association with pro-Russian and

separatist Separatism is the advocacy of cultural, ethnic, tribal, religious, racial, regional, governmental, or gender separation from the larger group. As with secession, separatism conventionally refers to full political separation. Groups simply seekin ...

sentiment, especially following the start of the

2022 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 ...

where 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 (, ''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; ) was a government ministry in the Soviet Union, which supervised the Soviet Armed Forces. The first Minister of Defense was Nikolai Bulganin, starting 1953. History The Ministry of Defence was renamed a num ...

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

Guards unit Guards units () 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 distinguishing themselves in wartime service ...

s was called the Guards ribbon (, ''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 word obtained by modifying a root word 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, and sometimes to belittle s ...

) 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

The Georgian ribbon emerged as part of the

Order of Saint George The Order of Saint George () is the highest military decoration of the Russian Federation. It was originally established on 26 November 1769 Julian (7 December 1769 Gregorian) as the highest military decoration of the Russian Empire for commiss ...

, established in 1769 as the highest military decoration of

Imperial Russia Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor/empress, or imperialism. Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to: Places United States * Imperial, California * Imperial, Missouri * Imperial, Nebraska * Imperial, Pennsylvania * ...

(and re-established in 1998 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 ...

signed by then

President of Russia The president of Russia, officially the president of the Russian Federation (), is the executive head of state of Russia. The president is the chair of the State Council (Russia), Federal State Council and the President of Russia#Commander-in-ch ...

Boris Yeltsin Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin (1 February 1931 – 23 April 2007) was a Soviet and Russian politician and statesman who served as President of Russia from 1991 to 1999. He was a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) from 1961 to ...

). 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 ( ''Leyb-gvardiya'', from German language, German ''Leib'' "body"; cf. Lifeguard (military), Life Guards / Bodyguard), were combined Imperial Russian Army forces units serving as cou ...

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

finial A finial () 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 (geometry), apex of a dome, spire, tower, roo ...

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 () was the army of the Russian Empire, active from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was organized into a standing army and a state militia. The standing army consisted of Regular army, regular troops and ...

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 (;Geʽez: ጊዮርጊስ, , ka, გიორგი, , , died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was an early Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to holy tradition, he was a soldier in the ...

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

double-headed eagle The double-headed eagle is an Iconology, iconographic symbol originating in the Bronze Age. The earliest predecessors of the symbol can be found in Mycenaean Greece and in the Ancient Near East, especially in Mesopotamian and Hittite Empire#icon ...

on a golden

escutcheon Escutcheon may refer to: * Escutcheon (heraldry), a shield or shield-shaped emblem, displaying a coat of arms * Escutcheon (furniture), a metal plate that surrounds a keyhole or lock cylinder on a door * (in medicine) the distribution of pubic ha ...

). 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 Kaz ...

stripe patterns found on the heraldry of the

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

, 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 vi ...

, 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, also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution (in Historiography in the Soviet Union, Soviet historiography), October coup, Bolshevik coup, or Bolshevik revolution, was the second of Russian Revolution, two r ...

, 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 Soviet

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 The Order of Glory () was a military decoration of the Soviet Union established by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on November 8, 1943. It was awarded to soldiers and non-commissioned officers of the Red Army as well as to aviation ...

(, ''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" (, ''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. As historian Gerhard Hirschfeld says, it "is as old as war and the occupation of foreign territory". The term ''collaborator'' dates to the 19th ...

Russian Liberation Army The Russian Liberation Army (; , ), also known as the Vlasov army () was a collaborationist formation, primarily composed of Russians, that fought under German command during World War II. From January 1945, the army was led by Andrey Vlasov, ...

. 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. In some places, one can send a postcard f ...

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 the Soviet Union's victory over Germany (

; 9 May 1945), the Russian state-run news agency

RIA Novosti RIA Novosti (), sometimes referred to as RIAN () or RIA (), is a Russian state-owned domestic news agency. On 9 December 2013, by a decree of Vladimir Putin, it was liquidated and its assets and workforce were transferred to the newly created ...

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 broad ...

8 May 2015 ''

Novaya Gazeta ''Novaya Gazeta'' (, ) is an independent Russian newspaper. It is known for its critical and investigative coverage of Russian political and social affairs, the Chechen wars, corruption among the ruling elite, and increasing authoritarianism i ...

'' columnist

Yulia Latynina Yulia Leonidovna Latynina (; born 16 June 1966) is an independent journalist, writer, TV and radio host from Russia. She grew famous as a columnist for ''Novaya Gazeta'' and was the most popular host at the Echo of Moscow radio station for years. ...

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. Pu ...

response to the 2004

Orange Revolution The Orange Revolution () was a series of protests that led to political upheaval in Ukraine from late November 2004 to January 2005. It gained momentum primarily due to the initiative of the general population, sparked by the aftermath of the ...

in which demonstrators had adopted orange ribbons as their symbol. Subsequently, Russian communist, 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 motiv ...

, protestors demonstrating against electoral fraud in the 2011 elections wore white ribbons. Supporters of Putin would counter-protest wearing Saint George's ribbons. On 28 April 2016, a group of people from the Nashi youth 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 such as home ...

society, pouring a toxic solution of Brilliant Green on writer

Ludmila Ulitskaya Lyudmila Evgenyevna Ulitskaya (, born February 21, 1943) is an internationally acclaimed modern Russian novelist and short-story writer who, in 2014, was awarded the prestigious Austrian State Prize for European Literature for her oeuvre. In 2006 s ...

and other guests and assaulting a journalist. The Russian anti-Western nationalist group National Liberation Movement ( - NOD) has adopted a flag of orange and black horizontal stripes as its symbol. Russian 6B47 Helmet with EMR Cover Front and Ribbon of St

Russian 6B47 Helmet with EMR Cover Front and Ribbon of St

Letter Z in the colours of the Russian Ribbon of Saint George

During the

, the colors of the ribbon were used in conjunction with the "Z" military symbol, which became a pro-war symbol that appeared across Russia. Russian soldiers in Ukraine have been seen decorating their combat uniforms with St. George ribbons. The St. George's ribbon is used as part of the

uniform A uniform is a variety of costume worn by members of an organization while usually participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are most often worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency serv ...

of the

Russian Airborne Forces The Russian Airborne Forces () is the airborne separate combat arm of the Russian Armed Forces. It is a rapid response force and strategic reserve that is under the President of Russia, reporting directly to the Chief of the General Staff, and ...

. In December 2022, president Vladimir Putin signed a law making desecration of the ribbon a criminal offense, with the law designating the ribbon as an official symbol of military glory that can only be used in events "dedicated to notable dates in Russia" or "aimed at patriotic and morally-spiritual education of Russian citizens".

Ukraine

During the events of 2014 in Ukraine,

anti-Maidan The anti-Maidan (; ) refers to a number of pro-Russian demonstrations in Ukraine in 2013 and 2014 that were directed against Euromaidan and later the new Ukrainian government. The initial participants were in favor of supporting the cabinet of ...

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" (; ) 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, and the potato bug) is a beetle known for being a major pest of potato crops. It is about lo ...

, and the ribbon was referred to as the "Colorado ribbon" (, ''koloradskaya lenta''; , ''kolorads'ka strichka''). Since 2014, incidents over the ribbon would occur during

celebrations on 9 May. In April 2014, the authorities of

Kropyvnytskyi Kropyvnytskyi (, ) is a city in central Ukraine, situated on the Inhul, Inhul River. It serves as the administrative center of Kirovohrad Oblast. Population: Over its history, Kropyvnytskyi has changed its name several times. The settlement ...

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 (, ) is a city in central Ukraine. Cherkasy serves as the administrative centre of Cherkasy Oblast as well as Cherkasy Raion within the oblast. The city has a population of Cherkasy is the cultural, educational and industrial centre ...

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 A remembrance poppy is an artificial flower worn in some countries to commemorate their military personnel who died in war. Remembrance poppies are produced by veterans' associations, which exchange the poppies for charitable donations used to g ...

, 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 of Nations, Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces me ...

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 (; born 31 January 1971) is a Ukraine, Ukrainian politician who served as the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament, from 14 April 2016 to 29 August 2019. He previo ...

( 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 ( (БРСМ), (БРСМ, ''BRSM'')) is a youth club, youth organization in Belarus. Its goals are to promote patriotism and to instill morality, moral values into the youth of Belarus, using activities such ...

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 government introduced a new ribbon, featuring red and green of the

Flag of Belarus The national flag of Belarus is an unequal red-green bicolour with a red-on-white 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 Bela ...

Canada

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

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...

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 () is a memorial day for soldiers who fought for the independence of Latvia. It is celebrated on 11 November, November 11th, marking the decisive victory by the Latvian National Armed Forces, Latvian Army over the joint Russian-G ...

, the

Saeima The Saeima () is the parliament of the Latvia, 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 p ...

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 or legislature of ...

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 Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 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 (Nikolai Alexandrovich Romanov; 186817 July 1918) or Nikolai II was the last reigning Emperor of Russia, Congress Poland, King of Congress Poland, and Grand Duke of Finland from 1 November 1894 until Abdication of Nicholas II, hi ...

was a recipient of the

Order of St. George The Order of Saint George () is the highest military decoration of the Russian Federation. It was originally established on 26 November 1769 Julian (7 December 1769 Gregorian) as the highest military decoration of the Russian Empire for commiss ...

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

Catherine II Catherine II. (born Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst; 2 May 172917 November 1796), most commonly known as Catherine the Great, was the reigning empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796. She came to power after overthrowing her husband, Peter III ...

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 a Russian Empire Field Marshal, the fourth son and seventh child of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia and Charlotte of Prussia. He was the first owner of the New Michae ...

with the

sash (first class) File:Gannibal I A.jpg,

Ivan Gannibal Ivan Abramovich Gannibal (; 5 June 1735 – 12 October 1801) was a Russian military leader. He was the son of military commander, general and engineer Abram Petrovich Gannibal, as well as the great-uncle of Russia's most famous poet, Alexander ...

with the Ribbon of St. George File:Russian Standard St George 1817.jpg, Saint George Standard of the Life Guard Cuirassier Regiment 1817 File:MoD Guards beret badge plastic.jpg, Beret badge with ribbon of St George of a Russian Federation Guards unit 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 () is a tracked amphibious, 25-ton modular infantry fighting vehicle and armored personnel carrier being developed for the Russian Army. The Kurganets-25 is planned to evolve into various models, gradually replacing BMP, BMD, MT ...

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 Airborne Brigade "Sicheslav" (; 25 ОПДБр, А1126) is an airborne formation of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces. The brigade is the only airborne unit of Ukrainian Air Assault Forces which possesses BMD-1 and BMD-2 airbor ...

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 Corps was ...

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

Topol-M The RT-2PM2 «Topol-M» (, 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 missiles to be deployed by Russia, and the f ...

participating in a military parade on

Red Square Red Square ( rus, Красная площадь, Krasnaya ploshchad', p=ˈkrasnəjə ˈploɕːɪtʲ) is one of the oldest and largest town square, squares in Moscow, Russia. It is located in Moscow's historic centre, along the eastern walls of ...

on Soviet-Russian

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, , 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 ...

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 (; ''Ukaz Prezidenta Rossiyskoy Federatsii'') or Executive Order (Decree) of the President of Russia is a legal act (''ukase'') with the status of a by-law made by the President of Russia. As no ...

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 The Soviet Navy was the naval warfare Military, uniform service branch of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy made up a large part of the Soviet Union's strategic planning in the event of a conflict with t ...

. These units were subsequently acquired by the newly formed

Russian Navy The Russian Navy is the Navy, naval arm of the Russian Armed Forces. It has existed in various forms since 1696. Its present iteration was formed in January 1992 when it succeeded the Navy of the Commonwealth of Independent States (which had i ...

after the collapse of the Soviet Union. File:Odessa_Russian_Spring_2014040609.JPG, Pro-Russian demonstration in

Odesa Odesa, also spelled Odessa, is the third most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern ...

in 2014 File:Гвардейский военно-морской флаг эсминца Гремящий.JPG, 1942–1950 Soviet Guards Naval Flag File:Russia, Guards naval flag 1992.svg, First Guards naval flag of the

, 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" () 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 satisfy the petition of the People's Commissariat for Defe ...

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" () was a state commemorative medal of the Soviet Union established on April 12, 1985, by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to denote th ...

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" () was a state commemorative medal of the Soviet Union established on April 25, 1975, by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to denote the thi ...

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" () is a state commemorative medal of the Russian Federation. It was established on December 21, 2013 by Presidential Decree № 931 to denote the 70th anniversary of t ...

File:Medal of Zhukov.jpg,

Medal of Zhukov The Medal of Zhukov () 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 named in honour of Marshal of the ...

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 of Russia. They are organized into three service branches—the Ground Forces, Navy, and Aerospace Forces—two independent comba ...

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

Armed Forces of Belarus The Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus are the military forces of Belarus. It consists of the Ground Forces and the Air Force and Air Defence Forces, all under the command of the Ministry of Defence. As a landlocked country, Belarus has ...

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

Armed Forces of Ukraine The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) are the Military, military forces of Ukraine. All military and security forces, including the Armed Forces, are under the command of the president of Ukraine and subject to oversight by a permanent Verkhovna Rad ...

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

Notes

References

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