The award ceremony was also attended by Defence Minister Andrei Belousov and Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation – First Deputy Defence Minister Valery Gerasimov.
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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, comrades,
I am pleased to congratulate you on your well-deserved military awards and present you with the Hero of Russia Gold Stars.
You and your fellow soldiers liberated Seversk, an important Russian city, in extremely difficult conditions by rapidly overcoming the enemy’s powerful and layered defences.
This and other similarly brilliant military operations were the result of the consistent and comprehensive work of the command, the leadership of the Southern Military District headquarters, unit commanders, and servicemen of individual brigades.
But first and foremost, this is the result of your efforts, enormous personal courage and dedication of the soldiers and officers, thanks to which strategic towns were liberated opportunities opned up for our troops to advance further in the most critical areas and directions.
Comrades,
We are proud of you and your comrades-in-arms, participants in this special military operation. You are standing guard over Russia, defending the security of the country and its citizens, and courageously fighting for a dignified future for our people.
Those present here are professionals, brave warriors, and true patriots of the Motherland. I thank you and all your comrades for your valiant service and your loyalty to the Fatherland. I am confident that with courageous people like you, we will achieve all our goals.
Once again, I congratulate you on being awarded the high title of Hero of Russia and wish you continued success. Please convey my sincere words of support and gratitude to your comrades, your families, and your friends.
I wish you good health and all the very best. Thank you for your service.
Commander of the 3rd Combined Arms Army of the Southern Military District, Lieutenant General Igor Kuzmenkov: I extend my gratitude for this high honour.
This is not merely a recognition – it is a significant responsibility which I do not perceive as a personal achievement. Primarily, it is an appraisal of my entire military collective, the personnel of the 3rd Combined Arms Army, who continue to execute combat missions in the special military operation zone.
I wish to express my gratitude to the fighters, particularly those in my assault units, for the courage, heroism, and selflessness they have demonstrated in fulfilling their assigned tasks. It is they who are now at the forefront of the struggle, risking their lives every day, honourably executing the tasks you have set for the liberation of our ancestral lands, restoring historical justice, and ensuring the security of Russian citizens.
On this day, I would like to express special gratitude to all those who await our fighters at home, and particularly to their parents. I bow my head to them for instilling in their children a proper understanding of duty, honour, and conscience. It is thanks to this parental upbringing that our warriors display miracles of heroism and steadfastness on the battlefield.
We will do everything necessary to achieve our common goals and bring victory closer.
I serve Russia!
Vladimir Putin: Comrades,
Once again, I congratulate you on these state decorations.
This is, without exaggeration, one of those instances where, as our people say, the award has found its hero. This is neither a joke nor irony – this is precisely what is happening in reality.
I would like to underscore the following: as we walked here, we spoke with the Minister and noted the level of cohesion and unity currently present in the Armed Forces. Yes, as I mentioned earlier at the board meeting, surely, in such large and vast collectives, all manner of things exist – we are human, after all. But overall, this solidarity, mutual support, attention, and care for one another are of immense significance.
No matter whom I have met, no matter whom I have spoken to, and no matter the subject of conversation, practically every one of my interlocutors has always mentioned the comrades fighting and living alongside them – individuals just like themselves. There is always a request not to forget about them, always an emphasis that their comrade-in-arms deserves the same awards, the same attention from the state.
Such an attitude cannot be bought with money; it is present both among our people towards the army and among servicemen towards one another. It is a reflection of the attitude towards the Motherland. This is invaluable. Herein lies the foundation, the bedrock of all our victories.
I congratulate you on your state decorations. I wish you all the best in the coming year, and I wish you a Happy New Year. All the best to you and your loved ones.
Thank you for your service.