City of Military Glory

City of Military Glory (Russian: «Город воинской славы») is an honorary title bestowed upon the citizenry of Russian cities, where soldiers had displayed courage and heroism during the Second World War. The award, which to date has been bestowed upon 40 cities, is similar to the Hero City title awarded during the Soviet-era, and no city has yet received both awards.

After being accepted by the State Duma on April 14, 2006, and approved by the Federation Council on April 26, 2006, the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin signed into law the federal law On the Honorary Title of the Russian Federation “City of Military Glory” on May 9, 2006.

On the eve of Victory Day in 2009, at the ceremony conferring “City of Military Glory” status upon Vyazma, Kronstadt and Naro-Fominsk at the Moscow Kremlin, President Dmitry Medvedev stated:

What distinguishes human beings from the other inhabitants of this planet is that they have a soul and they have memory. What is happening today pays tribute to this memory, and it also indicates our assessment of our past, and our plans for the future.

A lot is being said now about the price we paid for victory, and about the lessons of the Great Patriotic War. I too spoke about this, yesterday, and again today.

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