- Time Period: Second World War
- Year of Institution: 22 December 1942
- Country: Russia & USSR
The Medal for the Defense of Sevastopol (or Медаль «За оборону Одессы», Medal «Za oboronu Odessy» 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 Sevastopol between 5 November 1941 and 4 July 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 defense of Sevastopol during its siege by German forces. 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 Sevastopol 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 Sevastopol Design
The medal was 32mm in diameter, circular, and made of brass, with a raised rim.
In the center of the obverse, a 22mm in diameter convex medallion bearing the overlapping left profile busts of a red sailor over a helmeted red soldier. At the bottom, protruding below the edge of the central medallion, the bottom of a naval anchor and the breeches or two muzzle-loading cannons (crossing under the medallion); at the top, protruding from the central medallion, the muzzles of the two cannons, in between them, a 5mm wide frame bearing a relief five-pointed star. Along the medal circumference, between the edge of the central medallion and the medal’s rim, the relief inscription, on the left side «ЗА ОБОРОНУ» (“FOR DEFENSE”) and on the right side «СЕВАСТОПОЛЯ» (“SEVASTOPPOL”).
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 24mm wide olive green silk moiré ribbon with a 2mm central dark blue stripe.
