Soviet Soviet awards for Afghanistan

[Ed_Haynes]

I have included those known from published references. Given the nature of most sources, there is a pro-officer bias here and some considerable confusion. As we learn more, this list will be edited and re-edited.

Gold Star Medal of Hero of the Soviet Union:

1. Senior LT Nabi Makhmadzanovich Arkamov, motorized rifle company commander (5 July 1982)

2. PVT Nikolai Anfinogenov, reconnaissance company (15 November 1983, posthumous)

3. PVT Valery Viktotorvich Arsenov, reconnaissance mortar section (10 November 1986, posthumous)

4. COL Ruslan Sultanovich Aushev, motorized infantry regiment commander (7 May 1982)

5. MAJ Ivan Petrovich Barsukov (11 August 1983)

6. Guards Senior SGT Nikolai Petrovich Chepik, deputy commander engineer-sapper platoon (28 April 1980, posthumous)

7. Senior LT Aleksandr Viktotovich Chernozhukov, commander reconnaissance platoon (3 March 1983)

8. Guards PVT Igor Vladimirovich Chmurov, machine gun section airborne assault regiment (26 May 1986)

9. LT Aleksandr Ivanovich Demakov, deputy commander motorized rifle company (5 July 1982, posthumous)

10. LT Georgy Aleksandrovich Demchenko, platoon commander motorized rifle battalion (15 November 1983, posthumous)

11. CAPT Sergi Viktorovich Flipchenkov, commander helicopter crew (31 July 1986)

12. MAJ Vyacheslav Karibulovich Gainutdinov, commander helicopter wing (28 April 1980)

13. Senior LT Vladislav Fedorovich Goncharenko, commander helicopter wing (28 September 1987)

14. CAPT Yaroslav Pavlovich Goroshko, company commander (5 May 1988)

15. Guards MGN Pavel Sergeevich Grachev, commander Guards airborne division (5 May 1988)

16. CAPT Valery Ivanovich Grinchak, chief of staff battalion (18 February 1982)

17. LGN Boris Vsevolodovich Gromov, army commander in Afghanistan, 1987-89 (3 March 1988)

18. PVT Sergi Viktorovich Igolchenko, tank driver (3 March 1988)

19. Junior SGT Yiry Verikovich Islamov, section commander airborne assault battalion (3 March 1988)

20. Senior SGT Viktor Dmitrevich Kapshuk, section commander (6 November 1985)

21. COL Vasily Vasilevich Kolesnik (28 April 1980)

22. CPL Aleksandr Vladimirovich Korayavin, gunner airborne assault reconnaissance company (25 October 1985, posthumous)

23. COL Viktor Sevastyanovich Kot, commander fighter unit (20 September 1982)

24. LTC Nikolai Ivanovich Kovalev, commander helicopter squadron (5 February 1986, posthumous)

25. Senior LT Sergi Pavlovich Kozlov, company commander airborne assault battalion (28 April 1980)

26. CAPT Nikolai Vasilevich Kravchenko, commander airborne battalion (27 September 1984)

27. SGT Nikolai Ivanovich Kremenish, motorized rifle platoon commander (5 May 1988)

28. CAPT Vladamir Anatolevich Kuncherenko, helicopter commander (26 May 1986)

29. CAPT Gennady Pavlovich Kuchkin, deputy commander motorized rifle battalion (3 March 1983)

30. LT Nikolai Anatolevich Kuznetsov, sub-unit commander motorized rifle battalion (21 November 1985, posthumous)

31. Guards LTC Yury Viktotovich Kuznetsov, commander airborne regiment (5 July 1982)

32. LTC Anatoly Nikolaevich Levchenko, air force (26 May 1986, posthumous)

33. CAPT Nikolai Nikolaevich Lukashov, motorized rifles and airborne assault (17 March 1988)

34. CAPT Nikolai Sainovich Maidanov, commander helicopter wing (early 1989)

35. COL-GEN Yury Pavlovich Maksimov (5 July 1982)

36. MAJ Nikolai Ivanovich Malyshev, deputy commander helicopter squadron (13 January 1987)

37. Senior Driver Yury Nikolaevich Mirolyubov, BTR driver airborne unit (5 May 1988)

38. Guards Senior SGT Aleksandr Grigorevich Mironenko, deputy platoon commander reconnaissance company Guards airborne assault regiment (28 April 1980, posthumous?)

39. COL Vladimir Lavrentevich Neverov, commander motorized rifle regiment (17 February 1984)

40. LTC Valery Nikolaevich Ochirov, commander helicopter squadron (21 February 1985)

41. Senior LT Oleg Petrovich Onishchuk, deputy company commander motorized rifle battalion (5 May 1988)

42. MAJ Aleksandr Yakovelich Oparin, deputy commander motorized rifle regiment (20 September 1982, posthumous)

43. Guards LTC Vitaly Egorovich Pavlov, commander helicopter regiment (3 March 1983)

44. Senior LT Konstantin Grigorevich Pavlyukov, air force (28 September 1987, posthumous)

45. Guards MAJ Vasily Vasilevich Pimenov, commander Guards airborne assault battalion (13 June 1984)

46. LTC Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Pismenny, commander helicopter unit (5 February 1986)

47. Senior LT Igor Nikolaevich Oloskonos, commander reconnaissance company (15 November 1983)

48. CAPT Fedor Ivanovich Pugachev, commander reconnaissance company motorized rifle regiment (23 January 1983)

49. LTC Aleksandr Maksimovich Railyan, commander helicopter squadron (25 February 1988)

50. LTC Petr Vasilevich Ruban, commander assault aviation squadron (17 May 1984, posthumous)

51. COL Aleksandr Vladimirovich [source says Vaseilevich] Rutskoi, air force (8 December 1988)

52. LT Andrei Evgenevich Shakhvorostov, deputy commander motorized rifle platoon (14 December 1985, posthumous)

53. MAJ Vasily Vasilevich Shcherbakov, commander helicopter squadron (28 April 1980)

54. Senior SGT Yury Alekseevich Shikov, deputy commander motorized rifle platoon (28 September 1987)

55. LT Nikolai Anatolevich Shornikov, deputy commander rifle company (21 October 1980, posthumous)

56. Junior SGT Viktor Pavlovich Sinitsky, mechanic-driver APC (5 May 1988)

57. Guards MGN Albert Evdokimovich Slyusar, commander Guards airborne assault division (15 November 1983)

58. CAPT Boris Innokentevich Sokolov, commander engineer-sapper sub-unit (10 December 1985)

59. Guards MAJ Aleksandr Petrovich Soluyanov, commander Guards airborne assault battalion (23 November 1983)

60. General of the Army Valentin Ivanovich Varennikov, army commander-in-chief in Afghanistan, 1987-89 (3 March 1988)

61. LTC Valery Aleksandrovich Vostrotin, commander airborne regiment (6 January 1988)

62. LTC Evgeny Vasilevich Vysotsky, commander motorized rifle regiment (20 September 1982)

63. Senior LT Vladamir Cladamirovich Zadorzhny, deputy commander self-propelled artillery battery (25 October 1985, posthumous)

64. Senior LT Igor Vladimirovich Zaporozhan, commander airborne assault company (7 May 1985)

65. LTC Evgeny Ivanovich Zelnyakov, commander helicopter squadron (7 May 1982)

Order of the Red Banner:

1. COL Aleksandr Vladimirovich [source says Vaseilevich] Rutskoi, air force

2. LTC V. G. Serebrayakov, airborne battalion commander, May 1986-June 1988

3. LTC A. N. Shishkov, senior assistant to the chief of the operation section of an airborne division, Feb 1986-June 1988

4. MAJ V. A. Stolbinskiy, commander of an air assault company, March 1985-May 1987 (twice)

5. MAJ A. A. Tolkachev, airborne company commander, May 1983-May 1985

6. General of the Army Valentin Ivanovich Varennikov, army commander-in-chief in Afghanistan, 1987-89 (four times?)

7. LTC V. D. Vlasyan, deputy commander and commander of a motorized rifle battalion, Oct 1986-June 1988

Commander of 345 Guards regiment

8. ???, Commander of 345 Guards regiment - Red Banner, 2 orders of Red Star, For military merit.

9. ???, Captain - Pilot - Red Banner, 2 order of Red Star

Order of the Red Star:

1. LTC A. A. Agzamov, commander of a reconnaissance group of a reconnaissance company, 1981-1983

2. MAJ V. M. Bogdashkin, platoon leader and company commander in a motorized rifle battalion, June 1983-June 1985

3. Petr Denischenkov - order of Red Star, medal For Bravery

4. LTC V. P. Gladishev, deputy commander and commander of an airborne battalion, Feb 1982-June 1984

5. MAJ A. I. Guboglo, platoon leader motorized rifle platoon, 1981-1983

6. Major V. V. Kovalev, platoon leader, company commander, and battalion chief of staff, June 1983-July 1985

7. MAJ A. M. Kovyrshin, platoon leader in motorized rifle company, Sept 1982-Nov 1984

8. LTC S. I. Pariy, chief of staff of an airborne battalion and an airborne battalion commander, Sep 1985-Oct 1987 (twice)

9. MAJ V. P. Podvorniy, senior assistant to the chief of the operations section of a separate motorized rifle battalion, March 1985-March 1986

10. MAJ A. M. Portnov, assistant company commander and company commander of an air assault company, 1979-1982

11. LTC S. Yu. Pyatakov. Deputy commander of a motorized rifle battalion, March 1984-June 1985

12. Captain ??? Scherbakov - 2 orders of Red Star

13. ???. Commander of 345 Guards regiment - Red Banner, 2 orders of Red Star, For military merit.

14. LTC V. G. Serebrayakov, airborne battalion commander, May 1986-June 1988

15. LTC A. N. Shishkov, senior assistant to the chief of the operation section of an airborne division, Feb 1986-June 1988

16. MAJ P. A. Skovorodnikov, chief to staff to air assault battalion, 1985-1987 (twice)

17. MAJ V. N. Syemin, chief of staff of a separate reconnaissance battalion, 1986-1988 (twice)

18. LTC A. M. Tangaev, senior assistant to the chief of division reconnaissance, 1985-1987

19. MAJ V. G. Tarasyuk, chief of staff of a motorized rifle battalion, April 1986-April 1988

20. MAJ S. A. Urban, platoon leader and company commander in an air assault battalion, Dec 1981-April 1984

21. MAJ A. V. Van?yants, platoon leader and company commander, 1982-1984, and battalion chief or staff, 1987-1988

22. LTC V. D. Vlasyan, deputy commander and commander of a motorized rifle battalion, Oct 1986-June 1988

23. LTC S. V. Zelenskiy, commanded air assault company and served as senior assistant to the chief of a brigade operations section, 1981-1983

24. ???, Captain - Pilot - Red Banner, 2 order of Red Star

25. PVT S. Sedelnikov - order of Red Star, For military merit.

26. CPT S. Penjin - - order of Red Star, Order of Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces 3 class

27. Senior Warant Officer Valentin Nikolaiovich Kubasov, November 1987 - see: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=12356

28. Colonel Nikolai Ivanovich Vavenko, 1981 - see: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=10376

The Order for Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR, 2nd class (though the source says "1st"):

1. LT-GEN Alexander Ivanovic Lebed, commander 345th Separate Airborne Regiment (May 1988)

The Order for Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR, 3rd class:

1. CAPT Nikolai Sainovich Maidanov, commander helicopter wing (May 1988)

2. LTC A. L. Makkoveev, commanded 7th Motorized Rifle Company (?), 108th Motorized Rifle Division (?), Dec 1979-Nov 1981

3. LTC A. N. Shishkov, senior assistant to the chief of the operation section of an airborne division, Feb 1986-June 1988

4. LTC A. M. Tangaev, senior assistant to the chief of division reconnaissance, 1985-1987

5. MAJ N. G. Ten?kov, deputy chief of staff of the operations section of a special brigade1988

6. ??? M J Fedchenko - Order of Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces 3 class

7. CPT ??? Jdanov - Order of Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces 3 class

8. CPT S. Penjin - - order of Red Star, Order of Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces 3 class

The Order for Personal Courage:

1. LTC V. V. Shubin, 1986-1988

The Medal for Bravery:

1. ??? Petr Denischenkov - order of Red Star, medal For Bravery

2. MAJ A. I. Guboglo, platoon leader motorized rifle platoon, 1981-1983

3. MAJ V. I. Pavlenko, motorized rifle company commander, 1980-1982

4. MAJ A. M. Portnov, assistant company commander and company commander of an air assault company, 1979-1982

5. MAJ V. I. Rovba, platoon leader of a motorized rifle platoon, 1981-1983

6. MAJ P. A. Skovorodnikov, chief to staff to air assault battalion, 1985-1987

7. MAJ V. N. Syemin, chief of staff of a separate reconnaissance battalion, 1986-1988

The Medal for Combat Service:

1. MAJ I. A. Egiazarov, commander of a SPETSNAZ group, 1982-1984

2. LTC V. V. Shubin, 1986-1988

3. Private Nikolai Aleksandrovich Popovskii, May 1980 - see: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=11063

4. Senior Ensign Anatoli Zakharovich Basovich, May 1987 - see: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=11060

The Medal for Distinguished Military Service, 1st class:

1. MAJ S. V. Milyuk, platoon leader, Jan 1980-June 1981

Military Merit?

1. ??? Commander of 345 Guards regiment - Red Banner, 2 orders of Red Star, For military merit

2. PVT S. Sedelnikov - order of Red Star, For military merit.

Afghanistan: Order of the Red Banner:

1. LTC V. G. Serebrayakov, airborne battalion commander, May 1986-June 1988

Afghanistan: Order of Glory (though teh source doesn't make it unambiguously clear that this isn't the Soviet Order of Glory):

1. LTC V. V. Shubin, 1986-1988

Afghanistan: Order of the Star, 2nd class:

1. LTC A. M. Tangaev, senior assistant to the chief of division reconnaissance, 1985-1987

Afghanistan: ?For Valor?:

1. Major V. V. Kovalev, platoon leader, company commander, and battalion chief of staff, June 1983-July 1985

Afghanistan: ?For Bravery?:

1. LTC S. I. Pariy, chief of staff of an airborne battalion and an airborne battalion commander, Sep 1985-Oct 1987

Bibliography: Robert F. Baumann, Russian-Soviet Unconventional Wars in the Caucacus, Central Asia, and Afghanistan (Forth Leavenworth: Combat Studies Institute, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, [1993]); V. A. Durov, Russian and Soviet Military Awards (n.p., Order of Lenin State History Museum, [1990]); Lester W. Gran, tr. and ed., The Bear Went over the Mountain: Soviet Combat Tactics in Afghanistan (Fort Leavenworth: National Defense University Press, [1996]); ?Heroes of the Soviet Union: Afghanistan Role [sic] of Honour 1979-89,? ??? ??? (February 1989): J12-J20; Paul McDaniel and Paul J. Schmitt, The Comprehensive Guide to Soviet Orders and Decorations (Arlington: Historical Research, [1997]); Oleg Sarin and Lev Dvoretsky, The Afghan Syndrome: The Soviet Union?s Vietnam ([Novato]: Presidio, [1993]).

Much expansion needed!!!!!!!!

Edited November 5, 2006 by Ed_Haynes

[Christian Zulus]

Dear Ed,

many thanks for your great and comprehensive list .

About the Glory 3cl I am still very sceptical, as a pointed out at the other thread.

Best regards

Christian

[Ed_Haynes]

About the Glory 3cl I am still very sceptical, as a pointed out at the other thread.

Honestly, me too. Shall seek that specific reference. But it said, clearly, "Order of Glory".

Unlike the OPW, it was not linked completely to the GPW, but I (too) will need some convincing to see the Glory as much of a post-GPW award.

It might be interesting to try and trace Lt-Col Shubin? (Who also got the Order of Personal Courage and Medal of Combat Service!)

[order_of_victory]

Great info Ed

I think it facinating to see these late miltary awards, I never realised a personal courage was awarded for millitray action I presumed it was a civilan award

Order of Victory

[Ed_Haynes]

A medal being awarded (though we can't see what it is ):

[Christian Zulus]

Afghanistan - Young Soviet KIA

Gentlemen,

that's what the mother of this young comrade - and all mothers & wifes - received for her dead son:

Red Star + 2 medals

Source: Magazine "Soviet Soldier" (engl. ed.) 10/1991, p. 20

Best regards

Christian Zulus

[attachmentid=59710]

[Christian Zulus]

Afghanistan - Soviet total losses

Source: Magazine "Soviet Soldier" (engl. ed.) 9/1991, p. 18

[attachmentid=59711]

[Christian Zulus]

Afghanistan - Soviet yearly losses + memorial

Source: Magazine "Soviet Soldier" (engl. ed.) 9/1991, p. 19

[attachmentid=59712]

[Christian Zulus]

Order of Glory confered to a Lt.-Col. in Afghanistan?

Ed,

how should it be possible, that a Lt.-Col. Shubin gets a Glory 3cl? That's a pure NCO award .

Might be an error in the transcription or in the records.

Best regards

Christian

It might be interesting to try and trace Lt-Col Shubin? (Who also got the Order of Personal Courage and Medal of Combat Service!)

[Ed_Haynes]

Order of Glory confered to a Lt.-Col. in Afghanistan?

Ed,

how should it be possible, that a Lt.-Col. Shubin gets a Glory 3cl? That's a pure NCO award .

Might be an error in the transcription or in the records.

Best regards

Christian

Yes, I had noted that. Who knows. Maybe something Afghan where neither the Soviets nor the Americans could figure it out?

[Riley1965]

The only officer grade eligible for a Glory 3 is a Jr. Lt. certainly not a Lt Colonel.

Doc

[Ed_Haynes]

The only officer grade eligible for a Glory 3 is a Jr. Lt. certainly not a Lt Colonel.

Doc

Yes, and I doubt he made it that high.

There is the Afghan Order of Glory, similar to (maybe?) Lenin. (Hard parallel to make here.)

(Need to get that one up in my "my collection" thread on Afghan awards.)

The original source (a US Army translation of a Soviet original) said this, but . . . .

Edited November 4, 2006 by Ed_Haynes

[Christian Zulus]

Dear Doc,

that's correct

Maybe someone should find out some details about the military career of Lt. Colonel Shubin.

I think, that - as Ed noted - comrade Shubin might have received the Afghan Order of Glory.

Best regards

Christian

The only officer grade eligible for a Glory 3 is a Jr. Lt. certainly not a Lt Colonel.

Doc

[Guest RedThreat]

Ed:

I thought Lebed only had FSM 2nd class. After reading this thread, I found a Lebed's pic which seems to be taken during post-Soviet time.

Cheers,

Simon

[Christian Zulus]

Gen. Lebed - Full Cavalier of Motherland?

Gentlemen,

I also found no evidence, that comrade Lebed promoted to a full Cavalier of Motherland. If you look at the photograph Simon posted, then you will make out some new Russian orders. So the photograph seems to be rather recent and I don't think, that Lebed had got a catch up 1cl .

So it seems like an error in transcription again - like with the Glory for an Lt.-Col. - and the 1cl should be the 2cl we can make out at the photograph.

Best regards

Christian Zulus

P.S.: How many full Cavaliers of Motherland exist? Only 13 receipients? Does anyone have their biographies and/or citations? Was the Motherland more or less a special award for handling new technique - aircrafts, submarines, etc. - and for military merits abroud (including diplomacy!) or a rather general military award as the Red Star?

[Ed_Haynes]

I would agree. Obviously, the Americans who translated and made available these materials were more interested in tactics and equipment than in medals. Silly people.

Lebed is a good poster child for this, especially in his deviant approach to wearing his Afghan "International Warrior" medal on a Soviet five-sided suspension. Though quite clear in you photo, Christian, it is not too visible in this photo, but:

Edited November 5, 2006 by Ed_Haynes

[Ed_Haynes]

But, unusually, a poster of Lebed does a good job in capturing his medals (and, maybe, his personality and agenda ):

Edited November 5, 2006 by Ed_Haynes

[Ed_Haynes]

I have edited the awards roll at the beginning to reflect our revisions.

[Ed_Haynes]

And an interesting (though tiny ) picture:

[Christian Zulus]

Dear Ed,

many thanks

I think, the list is very valuable for further research.

Cool painting of Gen. Lebed .

Who is the Lt.-Col. with the Motherland 3cl?

Was Lebed the only one, who promoted to Motherland 2cl in Afghanistan?

Best regards

Christian

I have edited the awards roll at the beginning to reflect our revisions.

[Ed_Haynes]

Found a color version of Christian's photo.

[Ed_Haynes]

A teeny image (expanded a bit) of Varennikov.

See also: http://informacia.ru/facts/varennikov-facts.htm

Edited November 5, 2006 by Ed_Haynes

[Ed_Haynes]

On our interesting Colonel Shubin, see: http://www.specialoperations.com/mout/soviet5.html

[Ed_Haynes]

And, if you have the right fonts and the right language skills (I don't), see: http://www.afghanwar.spb.ru/

[Ed_Haynes]

And, finally (for now), this may look familiar to some: