Over 200 military personnel and civilians who have displayed extraordinary courage and heroism have been invited to the Kremlin. The participants include Heroes of the Soviet Union, Heroes of the Russian Federation, holders of the Order of St George, and recipients of three or more Orders of Courage.
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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Comrades,
Today, on Heroes of the Fatherland Day, we honour the great sons and daughters of Russia for their exceptional service to our country. We pay tribute to all those whose military and labour achievements, dedication, and courage have set a lasting example of devotion to the Fatherland.
Their names are enshrined in undying glory. Here in the Kremlin’s St George Hall, upholding the traditions dating back to Catherine the Great, and paying homage to generations of heroes, we affirm the enduring continuity of our nation’s thousand-year history.
We are bound together by pride in our Motherland and in the achievements and victories of our forebears. Throughout the ages, they defended our state’s sovereignty and our people’s freedom. They fought for the right to determine our own future and strove tirelessly to keep the country strong, to propel it forward, to open new horizons of growth, and to face the future with confidence.
We honour all those who have been recognised for their service with the titles of Hero of Russia or Hero of the Soviet Union, or who have been awarded the Order of St George or the Order of Glory.
Combatants, soldiers and officers, members of the special services and law enforcement, pioneers, cosmonauts, pilots, polar explorers, doctors, and civilians who have performed heroic deeds – all are united by their readiness to place the interests of the homeland above everything. Their lives stand as a powerful testament to the character, spirit, and inexhaustible strength of our people.
At this challenging time for our country, we see new evidence of the strength of our traditions of military glory, and the dignity with which our contemporaries keep them up, including very young people, the soldiers who are fighting on the front line.
I know due to personal contacts that people on the front line feel much stronger spiritual and blood bonds to their grandfathers and great-grandfathers, and that they are aware of this continuity and their responsibility for our forefathers’ legacy much more than ever before. Today, these decorations will be presented to our service personnel awarded the title of Hero of Russia.
They have demonstrated exceptional courage and valour while fulfilling their tasks in the zone of the special military operation, high professionalism, unwavering determination, and the ability to take the lead in extremely complicated combat conditions, while doing everything to ensure the advance of our forces in the key areas. Thank you for your service.
One of the gold stars will be presented posthumously to the family of Sergeant Nikita Afanasyev. Glory and eternal memory to our fallen comrades.
Friends,
Every act of heroism is rooted in the solid foundation of values, noble aspirations, unconquerable will and commitment to one’s duty and principles.
All these qualities are inherent in the people for whom risking life for the country’s achievements is an integral part of their profession. Today, I will present decorations to the test pilots who dedicated their lives to testing new types of military and civilian aircraft.
Serving the people, the Motherland and its present and future always adds special meaning to our deeds and actions. We can see this in the work of our engineers and scientists, who find breakthrough solutions to ensure national security, and in the selfless labour of personnel at defence plants and in many other spheres, who work every day to make Russia stronger and to contribute to its wellbeing and prosperity.
All of us now stand united in our admiration for the heroes, awareness of our responsibility to the country, our involvement in its fate, and sincere love for our Motherland. This love and this historical truth are the essence of our strength and the earnest of our victories.
Congratulations on Heroes of the Fatherland Day!
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Vladimir Putin: Friends,
Today is a special day, but we always remember those who make such occasions possible: the people here, the people in this hall, their parents, their wives; because everything is forged within the family; it is in the family that a person finds their footing, both physically and mentally. Everything is formed there.
That is why our entire policy is centred around families. Some things turn out well, others better, others not as well, but the overarching goal, the general direction of our development, is focused on the family and on the Motherland, because the Motherland is our large, vast, close-knit family.
I am grateful for the kind words: someone said to me, someone asked: how do you work? You know, everyone gives their all in their own role. And I, for my part, cannot imagine how pilots carry out their missions. Well, I can imagine it to some extent: I have been lucky enough, I have had the pleasure to come into contact with this profession. I have said it before, and I will say it again: especially when it comes to attack aircraft. I simply do not understand how people work there or how they fly.
For those who have never flown, let me explain: only the arms and fingers are moving. How can you, under such conditions, climb, then descend, then climb and descend again, and on top of this, carry out strikes – and even descend to altitudes that are dangerous because of enemy air defence systems? It is simply incredible.
So, what can we say about our soldiers who are now on the front line? In this new system of operating combat drones and other modern weapons, you can hardly lift your head, yet our guys are fighting. They are the true heroes.
Happy holiday to you! Happy Heroes of the Fatherland Day!