- Time Period: Second World War
- Year of Institution: 1 May 1944
- Country: Russia & USSR
The Medal for the Defense of Moscow (or Медаль «За оборону Москвы», Medal «Za oboronu Moskvy» in Russian) was established on 1 May 1944 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and awarded to all Soviet military and civilians who participated in the defense of Moscow between 19 October 1941 and 25 January 1942.
The medal was awarded to soldiers of the Red Army, Navy and troops of the NKVD, as well as persons from the civilian population who took part in the battle of Moscow. Award of the medal was made on behalf of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on the basis of documents attesting to actual participation in the defense of Moscow issued by the unit commander, the chief of the military medical establishment or by a relevant provincial or municipal authority.
The Resolution of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of March 8, 1945, granted the petition of Yaroslavl regional organizations to award the medal “For the Defence of Moscow” to the most distinguished participants in the construction of defensive structures in the Moscow area by the civilian population of the Yaroslavl region.
The Medal for the Defense of Moscow Design
The medal was 32mm in diameter, circular, and made of brass, with a raised rim on both sides. It was worn on the left side of the chest and in the presence of other awards of the USSR.
On the obverse in the background, the Kremlin wall, in front of the wall at lower center, the left front of a T-34 tank with a group of soldiers on it, below the tank near the medal’s lower rim, a relief five-pointed star in the center of a laurel wreath going halfway up the medal’s circumference on the left and right. To the left of the tank, the relief image of the monument to Minin and Pozharsky, and to the right of the tank, a Kremlin tower. Over the Kremlin wall, the dome of the Senate building with a hammer and sickle flag waving from its rooftop mast, in the sky above, five combat aircraft flying towards the left. Along the upper circumference of the medal, the relief inscription in prominent letters «ЗА ОБОРОНУ МОСКВЫ» (“FOR DEFENCE OF MOSCOW”).
On the reverse near the top, the relief image of the hammer and sickle, below the image, the relief inscription in three rows «ЗА НАШУ СОВЕТСКУЮ РОДИНУ» (“FOR OUR SOVIET MOTHERLAND”)
The medal was secured by a ring through the medal suspension loop to a standard Soviet pentagonal mount covered by a 24 mm wide silk moiré ribbon with 2 mm red edge stripes and five alternating 4 mm wide olive green, red, olive green, red, olive green stripes.
Other Soviet Defense Medals from WW2
The medals awarded for the defense of various places during World War II belong to a specific group of Soviet campaign medals. These medals were instituted by the Soviet Union to recognize and honor the efforts and sacrifices of those who participated in the defense of key cities and regions against Axis forces.
The Medal for the Defense of Leningrad
The Medal for the Defense of Leningrad was awarded to all Soviet military and civilians who participated in the defense of Leningrad in 1944.
The Medal for the Defense of the Caucasus
The Medal for the Defense of the Caucasus was awarded to all Soviet military and civilians who participated in the defense of the region.
The Medal for the Defense of Stalingrad
The Medal for the Defense of Stalingrad was awarded to all Soviet military and civilians who were part of the defense of Stalingrad in 1942.
The Medal for the Defense of Odessa
The Medal for the Defense of Odessa was awarded to all Soviet military and civilians who participated in the defense of the port city.
