At all times, the state thought out a system of rewarding the best citizens for their heroism and special services to the country. From 1994 to 1998 in Russia, the full cavaliers of the Order for Merit to the Fatherland were considered the highest state awards. How many are there today?
Order presentation
The date of establishment of the order is 2.03.1994 (President Yeltsin B.N.). Before the appearance of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called in 1998, he was the highest award in Russia. It has 4 degrees. To obtain the lowest (IV), you must have in your asset a medal of the Order for Merit to the Fatherland, I or II degree. It is subsequently awarded in succession: from IV to I. Exceptions are persons who have the Star of the Hero for military or labor exploits both during the existence of the Soviet Union and after its collapse.
32 people are full holders of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland. 61 people were awarded the 1st degree, among whom such famous people as the composer Alexandra Pakhmutova, the first president of the country Boris Yeltsin, the actress of the Maly Theater Elina Bystritskaya and singer Joseph Kobzon do not have a full set of awards.
The award is given for achievements in the following areas:
- Strengthening statehood.
- State defense.
- Socio-economic development.
- Culture and art.
- Research activity.
- Sport.
- Peace and cooperation among peoples.
Famous scientists
The list of full holders of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland includes eight representatives of science representing various branches of knowledge. All of them are now alive, despite their venerable age, with the exception of O. E. Kutafin (2008). Oleg Emelyanovich - a lawyer who participated in the creation of the Constitution of Russia, one of the co-authors of a textbook on constitutional law. Until recently, he headed the Academy of Law (MGLAA), being first the rector and then the president of the university. He worked in senior positions in the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation.
The oldest (86 years) are Alferov Zh. I. and Laverov N.P. Zhores Ivanovich Alferov - the pride of the nation, the only Nobel laureate in physics (2000), who lives in Russia. Participates in the political life of the country, the State Duma deputy from the Communist Party, but is not an official member. Nikolai Pavlovich Laverov– President of the International Academy of Fuel and Energy Complex, a world-famous geologist, who heads the department at MGIMO. The academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences is known in the country as the leader of the environmental movement.
For the 80th anniversary received their awards:
- L. A. Verbitskaya - philologist-Russian scholar, president of the Russian Academy of Education, for a long time being the rector of St. Petersburg State University;
- Yu. S. Osipov - an outstanding mathematician who headed the RAS until 2013;
- E. P. Velikhov - nuclear physicist, head of the Kurchatov Institute.
Medicine is represented by I. I. Dedov, an internationally renowned endocrinologist, and jurisprudence by V. F. Yakovlev, former chairman of the arbitration court of the Russian Federation, legal adviser to the president.
Politicians
Ten well-known politicians are full holders of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland Order, including two FSB generals. Hero of Russia N.P. Patrushev (2001) is now the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, and his successor as director of the FSB A.V. Bortnikov is considered the most influential figure on the political Olympus. Colleague V.V. Putin made a rapid career in 2006, having received epaulettes of the army general.
All political figures are now alive, with the exception of V.S. Chernomyrdin, who passed away in 2010. The ex-prime minister of the country in recent years worked as an ambassador to Ukraine, was an adviser to the President of the Russian Federation. Among the recipients are two former governors: E. S. Stroyev (Oryol Oblast) and E. E. Rossel (Sverdlovsk Oblast). Egor Semenovich received the award for his 70th birthday (2007), and Eduard Edgartovich - in the year he left his post (2009) at the age of 74.
The rest of the recipients are current politicians whose names are well-known to everyone: M. Sh. Shaimiev (former President of Tatarstan), V. A. Zubkov (representative for cooperation with gas exporting countries), S. B. Ivanov (head of the presidential administration ), S.V. Lavrov (Foreign Minister), V.I. Matvienko (Head of the Federal Assembly).
Cultural representatives
Full holders of the Order of Merit to the Fatherland Order of all degrees from among cultural workers are 14 representatives of various fields of art. Ten of them are men, led by the oldest theater and film actor V. M. Zeldin, who was born before the revolution (1915). The oldest of the number of people's artists of the USSR, he still admires the audience with new roles. Four of the outstanding artists are the artistic directors of the theaters: Yu. M. Solomin heads the Maly Theater, M. A. Zakharov - the famous Lenkom, O. Tabakov - Moscow Art Theater. Chekhov, and G.V. Khazanov - Moscow Variety Theater.
Among the representatives of the artistic environment - 87-year-old L.S. Broneva, who brilliantly played Muller and delighted the theater audience for more than 65 years. Cinema is presented by filmmaker N. S. Mikhalkov, who has been heading the Union of Cinematographers since 1998. Luminaries of fine art - the artist I. S. Glazunov and sculptor Z. K. Tsereteli - the pride of Russian culture, not needing additional presentation. Violinist Yu.Kh. For 28 years, Temirkanov has been the main conductor of the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, which is rightfully a well-deserved collective of Russia. These are men - full gentlemen of the Order for Merit to the Fatherland.
Women - representatives of culture
Of the four women, two have recently passed away. In 2012, the opera singer G.P. Vishnevskaya, who was deprived of Russian citizenship in 1978, did not become. At the request of the country's cultural figures, she and her husband M. L. Rostropovich returned to their homeland in 1990 after being restored to their rights. Both had international fame, repeatedly performed at the best venues in the world, including on the stage of La Scala. In 2015, the great ballerina Maya Plisetskaya left this world, who appeared on the stage until the age of 70 and remained in memory of the best Carmen from the same-name ballet by J. Bizet.
G. B. Volchek is the only woman who has led the theater for 27 years. Her entire professional life is connected with Sovremennik, where since 1972 she staged performances as the main director, and they all had a long stage life. The oldest cultural figure is I. A. Antonova. She turned 94 in 2016. For more than half a century, Irina Alexandrovna was the director of the Museum of Art. A.S. Pushkin remembers many prominent people of the era, including I.V. Tsvetaev - the father of the great poetess.
Full Knights of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland - the best representatives of civil society
All awarded are white-haired people. Only four of them were born in the 50s (existing politicians), the rest are much older. These are those who gave their beloved business their entire conscious life, glorifying the country in the international arena and having foreign awards. Most are actively involved in political life, working in government and public institutions. Full holders of the Order of Merit to the Fatherland Order, in addition to the honor of wearing a star made by designer Evgeny Ukhnalyov, are entitled to additional payments.