Russian Federation Medal of Zhukov

[SergioV]

The Medal of Zhukov

Gentlemen speaking about the medals of the Russian Federation we should mention here the Medal celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Zhukov ,

The Medal of Zhukov (Russian: медали 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 named in honour of Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov, the most decorated general in

the history of the Soviet Union.

The Medal of Zhukov was established on May 9, 1994 by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No 930. The medal's statute was defined on December 30, 1995 by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No 1334. The initial statute of the award stated the medal was to be awarded to military and civilian veterans of the Red Army, the Navy, of NKVD troops, guerrillas and members of the underground, for bravery, fortitude and courage displayed in fighting against the Nazi invaders or the Japanese militarists, and to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Georgy Zhukov. The basis for award of the medal was simple proof of direct participation in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 as part of the army, or in combat against Japan. It could also be awarded to servicemen of the Ministry of Defence and other ministries and departments, in which Russian law provides for military service, for courage and bravery displayed in combat operations in defence of the Motherland

and the public interests of the Russian Federation.

Although established in Russia, the Medal of Zhukov was later adopted by and also established in all of the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States by decision of the Council of the Heads of State of May 26, 1995.

Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No 1099 of September 7, 2010[1] completely revamped the Russian state awards system including

a new statute for the Medal of Zhukov.

The Medal of Zhukov is now awarded to soldiers for bravery, selflessness and personal courage in fighting for the protection of the Motherland and the public interests of the Russian Federation, for distinction in military bearing during service, for alertness and active participation in exercises and manoeuvres,

for excellent performance in combat training.

The Russian Federation Order of Precedence dictates the Medal of Zhukov is to be worn on the left breast with other medals immediately after the Medal of Ushakov.

The Medal of Zhukov is a circular, 32mm in diameter brass medal. On the obverse, the bust of marshal Zhukov, his head half turned to the right, on his uniform, four stars of Hero of the Soviet Union and a Marshal's Star around his neck. Below the bust along the medal's lower circumference, two branches of oak and laurels. Above the bust, along the medal's upper circumference, the relief inscription "GEORGY ZHUKOV" (in Russian "ГЕОРГИЙ ЖУКОВ").

The medal's original reverse, as mandated by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of March 6, 1995 No 243,[6] bore at its center the large relief years "1896 - 1996" and oak and laurel branches at the bottom following the medal's lower circumference. Some makers produced a variant of the medal with a smaller inscription (1896 - 1996) and added a relief "N" and a line for an award serial number. More than 2.5 million were awarded.

Following the 2010 amendment[1] to its statute, the reverse of the Medal of Zhukov now bears the relief inscription "FOR EXCELLENCE IN SERVICE"

(in Russian "ЗА ОТЛИЧИЕ В СЛУЖБЕ") in the center, below the inscription, a relief "N" and a line for an award serial number. At the bottom, along the medal's lower circumference, oak and laurel branches.

The medal is suspended to a standard Russian pentagonal mount by a ring through the medal's suspension loop. The mount is covered by an overlapping 24mm wide silk moiré ribbon, the left half of the ribbon is red, the right half of the ribbon is in the colours of the Ribbon of Saint George.

An interesting fact is that the image of Marshal Zhukov on the medal has an error , as you know , has been awarded four times the Star of Hero of the Soviet Union

( the third and the fourth star was awarded in June 1945 and December 1956). On the currency in which it is depicted on the medal, there are the four gold stars,

but this type of uniform ( single-breasted, with stand-up collar ) was abolished in 1945.

As a result, a similar picture can be represented with only two stars from Hero of the Soviet Union or at most three .

There are four known variants of the medal

Var 1 - on the flip side in the branches of oak and laurel brand ММД is the identifier of the Mint of Moscow

Var 2 - is better bill and on the back of the ring is stamped the initials of the mint ЛМД identification of Leningrad

Var 3 - on the back of the medal there is an N and a line to enter the serial number and the brand has ММД

Var 4 - on the back of the medal there is an N and a line to enter the serial number and has the word " ЗА ОТЛИЧИЕ В СЛУЖБЕ " (Distinguished Service)

About to the documents there are altogether seven variants , the medal was not awarded only to Russia but also to other states .

Russia, Kazakhstan , Belarus, Ukraine , Moldova and Transnistria and finally the leather doc for personalities, with a serial number.

Here we see three of the four variants of the medals, unfortunately about the Var 4 i haven't found pictures on internet.

the variants of documents

The Document of the Russian Federation

The Document of Kazakhstan

The Document of the Republic of Belarus

The Document of Ukraine

The Document of Moldova

The Document of Transnistria

The Document for the Variant 3 and 4 with serial number

--- --- ---

[SergioV]

Below I show my Zhukov Medal Var 1 and documents of the Russian Federation and Belarus

« Медаль Жукова »

The Document of the Russian Federation

Assigned to:

Авдеев ...... Avdeev

Иван ...... Ivan

Иванович ...... Ivanovich

Awarded by:

Президент российской федерации ...... President of the Russian Federation

Ельцин ...... Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin

--- --- ---

The Document of the Republic of Belarus

Assigned to:

Марчук ...... Maruk

Нина ...... Nina

Яковлевна ...... Yakovlevna

Awarded by:

Презідент Рэспублікі Беларусь ...... President of the Republic of Belarus

Аляксандр Рыгоравіч Лукашэнка ...... (The Dictator) Aleksandr Rigoravich Lukashenko

--- --- ---

[TacHel]

Nice! It's the first time I see a real variant 3. Thanks for sharing!

[Paul R]

So this is awarded like the Bravery Medal today? I take it for a lesser event?

[JapanX]

Naa

Not bravery, since it is not only an award for "for bravery, selflessness and personal courage in fighting for the protection of the Motherland and the public interests of the Russian Federation", but also an award "for distinction in military bearing during service, for alertness and active participation in exercises and manoeuvres, for excellent performance in combat training"

So it is more like USSR Medal for Combat Service ;)

[JapanX]

Numbered medals by MMD have very peculiar problem with gold covering...

I'll post a couple examples tomorrow

[paul wood]

Zhukov looks jolly cheerful on the medal, almost worth having for that.

Paul

[Paul R]

I thought that the Combat Merit Medal continued into the Federal era.

[JapanX]

Nope, it doesn't

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_orders,_decorations,_and_medals_of_the_Russian_Federation

[Paul R]

Nope, it doesn't

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_orders,_decorations,_and_medals_of_the_Russian_Federation

Wow. OK. So this is a replacement for that.

I would love to get my hands on some of those orders. The only Federation Medal I have is a number Lifesaving Medal.

[JapanX]

Do you mean RF medal "for life saving"

or this one

http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CC%E5%E4%E0%EB%FC_%AB%C7%E0_%F1%EF%E0%F1%E5%ED%E8%E5_%F3%F2%EE%EF%E0%FE%F9%E8%F5%BB

?

[JapanX]

Zhukov looks jolly cheerful on the medal ...

Author of this creative bas-relief was this dude

Valery Balabanov

[paul wood]

It think he should stick to the day job, religious iconography.

Paul

[JapanX]

Funniest thing is that his "art" contains factual mistake.

Zhukov is wearing single-breasted uniform with a high collar with four stars of the Hero of the Soviet Union.

But this type of uniform was cancelled in April 1945, and the third and fourth stars Zhukov got on June 1, 1945 and December 1, 1956.

Nice job Valery!

Edited November 14, 2013 by JapanX

[JapanX]

It think he should stick to the day job, religious iconography.

Paul

Damn right!

He also supplied his bas-relief for this "creature"

[paul wood]

I hate think what he was drinking when he produced that.

Paul

[JapanX]

Come on!

Take a good look at him with his picture "Savior on the throne"

Most likely he was playing "mix and match" with photos from different time periods.

[JapanX]

Ok.

Back to the medal.

So these numbered pieces...

Check out this cased piece

[JapanX]

[JapanX]

Another piece (note the surface )

[JapanX]

Another one

[JapanX]

Please note, that original number always has six digits!!!

Even medal № 1 has number 000001 on reverse.

This is very important because curently there are many unissued and therefore unnumbered medals on the market.

Like this one

[JapanX]

[JapanX]

Or this one

[JapanX]

So naturally some enterprising folks decided to add numbers by themself ...

Here how such fakes look like