The Medal for the Defense of Leningrad

• Time Period: Second World War
• Year of Institution: 22 December 1942
• Country: Russia & USSR

The Medal for the Defense of Leningrad (or Медаль «За оборону Ленинграда», Medal «Za oboronu Leningrada» in Russian) was established on 22 December 1942 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 Leningrad between 8 September 1941 and 27 January 1944.

The medal recognizes the valor and hard work of the Soviet civilian and military defenders of Leningrad (soldiers of the Red Army, Navy, and troops of the NKVD, as well as persons from the civilian population) during the 872-day siege of the city by the German armed forces between September 8, 1941, and January 27, 1944.

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 Leningrad issued by the unit commander, the chief of the military medical establishment, or by a relevant provincial or municipal authority.

The Medal for the Defense of Leningrad Design

The medal measures 32mm in diameter and is circular and struck in brass. It has a raised rim.

The obverse features, in the lower half, the relief images of a helmeted Red Army soldier (nearest), a sailor (middle), and a worker (farthest), all three with rifles at the ready. In the background is the relief outline of the Leningrad Admiralty building. Along the upper circumference of the medal, an inscription in prominent letters reads  «ЗА ОБОРОНУ ЛЕНИНГРАДА» (“FOR DEFENCE OF LENINGRAD”).

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 suspension loop to a standard Soviet pentagonal mount covered by a 24mm wide olive green silk moiré ribbon with a 2mm central green stripe.