Medal "For the Defence of Stalingrad"

Medal "For the Defence of Stalingrad"
Medal "For the Defence of Stalingrad" (obverse)
Awarded by  USSR
Type	Campaign medal
Eligibility	Citizens of the Soviet Union
Awarded for	Participation in the defence of Stalingrad
Status	No longer awarded
Statistics
Established	December 22, 1942
Total awarded	759,560
Ribbon of the Medal "For the Defence of Stalingrad"

The Medal "For the Defence of Stalingrad" (Russian: Медаль «За оборону Сталинграда») was a World War II campaign medal of the Soviet Union.

The Medal "For the Defence of Stalingrad" was established on December 22, 1942 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. The medal's statute was amended on July 18, 1980 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR № 2523-X.

The Medal "For the Defence of Stalingrad" was awarded to all participants in the defence of Stalingrad—soldiers of the Red Army, Navy and troops of the NKVD, as well as persons from the civilian population who took part in the defence of Stalingrad 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 defence of Stalingrad issued by the unit commander, the chief of the military medical establishment or by a relevant provincial or municipal authority. Serving military personnel received the medal from their unit commander, retirees from military service received the medal from a regional, municipal or district military commissioner in the recipient's community, members of the civilian population, participants in the defence of Stalingrad received their medal from regional or city Councils of People's Deputies.

The Medal "For the Defence of Stalingrad" was worn on the left side of the chest and in the presence of other awards of the USSR, was located immediately after the Medal "For the Defence of Sevastopol". If worn in the presence of Orders or medals of the Russian Federation, the latter have precedence.

The Medal "For the Defence of Stalingrad" was a 32mm in diameter circular brass medal with a raised rim. On its obverse, a row of five overlapping fully equipped soldiers with their rifles at the ready marching to the left, above the two rightmost soldiers, the Soviet flag waving; above the others, tanks and combat aircraft also pointing to the left. At the top in the center, a relief five pointed star, on either side of the star along the upper medal circumference, the relief inscription "FOR THE DEFENSE OF STALINGRAD" (Russian: «ЗА ОБОРОНУ СТАЛИНГРАДА»). On the reverse near the top, the relief image of the hammer and sickle, below the image, the relief inscription in three rows "FOR OUR SOVIET MOTHERLAND" (Russian: «ЗА НАШУ СОВЕТСКУЮ РОДИНУ»).