Medal for Valor

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The Russian Version

The Soviet Version

The Medal for Valor (Russian: Медаль За Отвагу) was the highest military medal that could be awarded to a soldier of the Soviet Union for bravery on the field of battle. It was created on October 17, 1938 by the decision of the Praesidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, to be awarded for "acts of bravery during a battle, during the defense of the state borders or during military duties associated with risk for life." The first three Medals for Valor were awarded only three days later to three border guards for acts of bravery during the Battle of Lake Khasan.

Its status was revised in 1980 to prevent the medal from being given for years of service (a practice that was rampant in USSR) rather than actual bravery during a battle. Overall, 4,569,893 medals were awarded during the medal's existence from 1938 to 1991, with more than 4,200,000 during World War II.

The medal was retained by the Russian Federation after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, with the same design save for the caption CCCP .