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Category: Post-WW2 Medals

The Medal For Military Service to Ukraine

The Medal For Military Service to Ukraine (Медаль «За військову службу Україні») was established in 1996 to honor servicemen of the Armed Forces and other military formations created in accordance with the Ukrainian legislature – as well as other individuals for courage and valor displayed at protection of state interests and for excellent execution of service duty. It can be awarded:

  • For personal Courage and valor, devoted actions displayed at protection of state interests for reaching a high level of troops’ combat readiness and assuring the Ukraine’s defense capability;
  • For excellent execution of military duty;
  • For execution of special tasks to assure the state security of Ukraine;
  • For 25 years of perfect military service.

The Medal can be awarded to foreign citizens or individuals without citizenship and  posthumously. 

The Medal For Military Service to Ukraine Design

The award is made of silver and has the shape of a wreath of oak leaves. The obverse shows a composition consisting of military weapons and symbols (rocket, cannon, saber, battle antimony, flags, etc.) superimposed on the wreath. The diameter of the wreath is 40 mm. The reverse side of the medal is flat, with a relief number.

The wreath is connected with a ring with an eyelet with a rectangular block covered with a ribbon. The ribbon is silk moire, blue with a blue stripe in the middle and two yellow on the sides. 

The Order For Brave Miners’ Work

  • Time Period: Post-WW2
  • Year of Institution: 2 September 2008
  • Country: Ukraine

The Order For Brave Miners’ Work (Орден «За доблесну шахтарську працю») was instituted in 2008 and honor workers that extract coal, iron-ore, non-ferrous metal ores, rare-earth ores, manganese and uranium ores, workers of mine building enterprises. The Order may be awarded to workers who are employed full-time in underground work. 

The first 19 people awarded the Order “For Valiant Mining” III degree (for significant personal contribution to strengthening the energy potential of the state) were coal miners, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Stakhanov movement and the Miner’s Day.

The Order has three degrees; the highest degree of the order is the first degree. Awarding of the Order is carried out by the decree of the President of Ukraine.

The Order For Brave Miners' Work Design

The emblem of the Order is made of rock crystal and has the shape of a straight equilateral cross with pointed edges. In the center there is a rhombic medallion covered in white enamel and depicting the small State Emblem of Ukraine. Under the emblem there are crossed picks and a hammer made of yellow metal. The medallion is framed by an image of a ribbon interwoven in the corners, in dark red enamel with the inscription “For valiant mining work.” At the top of the ribbon is bordered by branches of bay leaves, at the bottom – oak leaves. The cross is superimposed on a quadrangular star with diverging faceted black rays. 

The author of the insignia of the order is the artist O. Rudenko.

The Order of Danylo Halytsky

  • Time Period: Post-WW2
  • Year of Institution: 20 February 2003
  • Country: Ukraine

The Order of Danylo Halytsky (Орден Данила Галицького) was instituted on February 20, 2003 to honor the military men of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It was created by the Verkhovna Rada, the unicameral parliament of Ukraine.

Awards to serving members of the armed forces bear crossed swords.

The Order of Princess Olga

The Order of Princess Olga (Орден княгині Ольги) is a Ukrainian civil decoration bestowed to women for personal merits.

The Order of Princess Olga (Орден княгині Ольги) is a Ukrainian civil decoration bestowed to women for personal merits. It was established by Presidential Decree № 827/97 of 15 August 1997 and features Olga of Kiev.

The award is given for “personal merits in state, production, scientific, educational, cultural, charity and other spheres of social activities, for upbringing children in families”. It has three grades or classes, the first being the highest. 

Both Ukrainian citizens and foreigners are eligible for the order. The order can be rescinded by the President of Ukraine if a bearer is convicted of a serious crime.

The Order of Princess Olga Design

The 1st grade medal is adorned with four rectangular amethysts and features a gilded ornament with silver parts. The two other grades also feature precious stones.

The Order for Courage (Ukraine)

  • Time Period: Post-WW2
  • Year of Institution: 22 September 1996
  • Country: Ukraine

The Order for Courage (Орден «За мужність») is a Ukrainian award for courage established on August 21, 1996.

Before August, 1996, personal bravery had been honored with Awards of the President of Ukraine for Courage: the Star for Courage and the Cross for Courage instituted on April 29, 1995. On August 21, 1996, they were transformed into three classes of the Order for Courage. 

The Order for Courage Design

The order was designed by Mykola Lebid, a Ukrainian painter, graphic artist, designer, Honored Artist of Ukraine, and professor, and winner of Nikolai Ostrovsky Premium in 1986.

The Order of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes

The Order of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes (Орден Героїв Небесної Сотні) is awarded for civil courage, patriotism and the defense of democracy.

  • Time Period: Post-WW2
  • Year of Institution: 22 September 1996
  • Country: Ukraine

The Order of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes (Орден Героїв Небесної Сотні) is awarded for civil courage, constitutional principles of democracy, human rights and freedom; humanitarian, social and charitable activities; selfless service to the Ukrainian people and any events related to the protection of the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

The name “Heaven’s Hundred” refers to the participants killed during Euromaidan, a wave of demonstrations and civil unrest in Ukraine, which began on 21 November 2013 with large protests in Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) in Kyiv. 

Order of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes Design

A nationwide contest for the best design of the Order of Heroes hundreds of Heaven was won by Taras Wozniak and Konstantina Kovalyshyn from Lviv.

The Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky

The Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky (Орден Богдана Хмельницького) was established in 1995 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe. It’s named after Bohdan Khmelnytsky, Hetman of the Ukrainian Cossacks (a group of predominantly East Slavic Orthodox Christian people who became known as members of democratic, self-governing, semi-military communities).

The Order of Merit (Ukraine)

The Order of Merit (Орден За заслуги) is given to individuals for outstanding achievements in economics, science, culture, and politics.

  • Time Period: Post-WW2
  • Year of Institution: 22 September 1996
  • Country: Ukraine

The Order of Merit (Орден «За заслуги») is given to individuals for outstanding achievements in economics, science, culture, military or political spheres of activity. The Order was first established by Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma on August 18, 1992. On September 22, 1996, it was transformed into three classes of the Order of Merit.

There are 3 grades to the Order, the highest being the first grade honors. Those who are awarded the Order of Merit have the official title Chevalier of the Order of Merit. The order can be granted posthumously.

The Order of Merit Design

Awards to serving members of the armed forces bear crossed swords.

The Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise

The Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise (Орден князя Ярослава Мудрого) is awarded for distinguished services to the state and people of Ukraine.

The Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise (Орден князя Ярослава Мудрого) is awarded for distinguished services to the state and people of Ukraine in the field of state building, strengthening the international prestige of Ukraine, development of economy, science, education, culture, art, health care, for outstanding charitable, humanistic and public activities. The motto of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise – “Wisdom, honor, glory.“

The Order was instituted on 23 August 1995 by the Ukrainian President, Leonid Kuchma. It is awarded in five classes (I, II, III, IV and V degree). 

The Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise can be awarded to citizens of Ukraine, foreign citizens, and stateless persons. Those awarded the Order of any degree and is called a Knight of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise.

Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise Design

The insignia of the order was designed by sculptor and professor of the National Academy Of Fine Arts And Architecture, Valeriy Shvetsov.

The Order has a blue ribbon with a yellow stripe on each edge.The badge of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise I degree is worn on the chain of the Order, one star of the Order – on the left side of the chest, the other – on the ribbon over the right shoulder below the bow. The insignia of the Order of the I degree is made of silver and is an equilateral cross with rounded ends, topped with miniature crosses. 

The star of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise is made of silver and has the shape of an octagonal convex star with gilded and silver diverging rays.

The Order of Liberty (Ukraine)

The Order of Liberty (орден Свободи) was instituted on April 10, 2008 to honour merits of citizens for strengthening the Sovereignty and Independence of Ukraine, as well as for consolidating Ukrainian society, developing Democracy, advancing socio-economic and political reforms, and advocating the Constitutional Rights and Liberties of Man and Citizen.

The Order was instituted by President Yushchenko by decree № 1177/2005. It can be given to citizens of Ukraine, foreigners and stateless persons may be awarded the Order of Freedom.

Awarding the Order of Freedom may be carried out posthumously. Those awarded the Order of Freedom are called a Knight of the Order of Freedom.

The Order of Liberty Medal Design

 The Commission on State Awards and Heraldry was instructed to hold an all-Ukrainian competition to develop designs for the Order of Freedom. On May 20, 2008, Decree of the President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko № 460/2008 approved the Statute of the Order, which includes a description of the Order’s badge.

The sign of the Order of Freedom is made of gilded silver and has the shape of an equilateral cross with diverging sides. The sides are covered with white enamel and decorated with four rectangular Swarovski crystals. In the centre of the cross is a round blue enamel medallion with a gold image of the Sign of the Princely State of Vladimir the Great framed by a laurel wreath. The sides of the corners of the cross are framed by stylized floral ornaments. The reverse side of the sign of the order is flat with the engraved number of the sign.

The ribbon is white silk moire with longitudinal stripes – in the middle of wide blue and yellow, bordered on the edges by narrow stripes of yellow and blue, respectively, and on the edges of the ribbon by narrow strips of orange. 

A person awarded the Order of Freedom is awarded a badge of the order and an order book of the established pattern.