Medal "For the Defence of the Caucasus"

Medal "For the Defence of the Caucasus"
Medal "For the Defence of the Caucasus" (obverse)
Awarded by  USSR
Type	Campaign medal
Eligibility	Citizens of the Soviet Union
Awarded for	Participation in the defence of the Caucasus
Status	No longer awarded
Statistics
Established	May 1, 1944
Total awarded	870,000
Ribbon of the Medal "For the Defence of the Caucasus"

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

The Medal "For the Defence of the Caucasus" was established on May 1, 1944 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Its statute was modified by multiple resolutions of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, on May 16, 1944, June 2, 1944, June 5, 1944, March 10, 1945, March 15, 1945, and lastly by decree № 2523-X of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of July 18, 1980.

The Medal "For the Defence of the Caucasus" was awarded to all participants in the defence of the Caucasus - soldiers of the Red Army, sailors of the Navy, troops of the NKVD, as well as persons from the civilian population who took part in the defence of the Caucasus during the battle for the Caucasus.

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 the Caucasus issued by the unit commander, the chief of the military medical establishment or by a relevant provincial or municipal authority of the Stavropol or of the Krasnodar Soviets of People's Deputies, of the Supreme Soviet of the Georgian SSR, of the Azerbaijan SSR, of the North Ossetian ASSR or of the Kabardin ASSR. 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 the Caucasus received their medal from regional or city Councils of People's Deputies of the Stavropol and Krasnodar territories Soviets of Workers' Deputies, from the Supreme Soviet of the Georgian SSR, of the Azerbaijan SSR, of the North Ossetian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic or from the Kabardin ASSR. For the defenders who died in battle or prior to the establishment of the medal, it was awarded posthumously to the family.