Order of St. George


The Order of Saint George is the highest military decoration of the Russian Federation. It was originally established on 26 November 1769 Julian as the highest military decoration of the Russian Empire for commissioned officers and generals by Empress Catherine the Great. After the October Revolution in 1917, it was awarded by the White movement under Alexander Kolchak until their collapse in 1921. The order was revived in the Russian Federation on 20 March 1992 by Decree No.1463 of the President of Russia. The current award criteria were amended on 7 September 2010 by Presidential Decree 1099.

Statute of the Order of St. George

The current Order of Saint George is awarded to highest and senior military officers for the conduct of military operations to protect the Motherland from attack by an external enemy which resulted in the complete defeat of the enemy, for the execution of combat and other operations in other states aimed at restoring international peace and security, or for being a model of military science with feats that exemplify military prowess; the Order is also conferred upon officers who were previously awarded state awards of the Russian Federation for distinction in combat.

Description

The Order of Saint George is divided into four classes, from the First Class to the Fourth class; the highest degree being the Order First class. The four classes are awarded sequentially from the fourth to the first. These four classes are individually identified by the size and manner of wearing the two principal insignia of the Order, the cross and the star.
Image:Τάγμα του Αγίου Γεώργιου - Στολή.png|thumb|300px|right|Proper wear of the Order of Saint George insignia, fourth class at left to first class at right
Image:Order of St. George, 2nd class with star RF.jpg|thumb|180px|right|Order of Saint George, second class, neck badge and breast star
Cross: A white enamelled cross pattée with a central medallion bearing the image of Saint George on horseback slaying the dragon. The cross measures 60 mm across in the case of the Order first class and is worn on a sash in the colours of Saint George. The same 60 mm cross is worn around the neck on a 45-mm-wide ribbon also in the colours of Saint George for the Order second class. The cross is 50 mm across for the Order third class and is also worn around the neck but from a 24-mm-wide ribbon in the same colours. The Order fourth class is a 40 mm cross worn on the left breast hanging from a pentagonal mount covered with a 24-mm-wide ribbon of Saint George.
Star: A four-pointed silver gilt star with a gold central medallion bearing the cipher of Saint George "SG" topped by a crown and surrounded by a black enamelled band bearing the motto of the order "For Service and Bravery". The star is worn on the left breast for both the Order first and second classes.
Ribbon: The ribbon of the Order of Saint George is orange with three black stripes, commonly called "George's Ribbon". It symbolises fire and gunpowder: the Russian colours of military glory, and is also thought to be derived from the colours of the original Russian imperial coat of arms. It was subsequently associated with the colors of the Russian and Soviet Guard units. Unlike the other classes, the Order of Saint George fourth class can be awarded to junior officers while the rest is for senior and flag officers.

Recipients (partial list)

Recipients of the Order first class

Twenty-four people were ever awarded The First class cross, one should be a King or win a war to receive it. The full list goes as follows in timeline order:
For The Second class one should win a Campaign. The first recipient was Lieutenant-General Plemyannikov for the Battle of Kagul, the last of 124 or 125, depending on sources, was either Nikolai Yudenich or Marshal of France Ferdinand Foch.