The Russian Ministry of Defence has proposed the creation of a departmental award – a medal “for the evacuation of the fallen” from combat zones.

The draft decree, published in the official database of regulatory documents, stipulates that the medal may be awarded to both military personnel and civilians. The grounds for receiving the award include “the evacuation of the fallen (service members or other individuals) in combat conditions involving risk to life”.

The document also notes that the medal may be awarded for the use of “innovative technologies” that help locate and identify the deceased as well as evacuate bodies from the front line.

The formal introduction of such an award marks a rare acknowledgment that – nearly four years into the war – the authorities are facing significant difficulties in accounting for casualties and returning the bodies of the dead. Official casualty figures remain undisclosed: combat losses are still classified as a state secret.

On the one hand, this step could be seen as an act of humanitarian recognition – an attempt to ensure the dignified return of the dead and to acknowledge the danger faced by those who retrieve bodies from the battlefield. On the other hand, the very need for such a medal highlights the scale of the problem: dozens, hundreds, perhaps thousands of those missing or killed remain unidentified, uncollected, and unburied.

The issue of body repatriation has long become symbolic for the families of the fallen. Thus, the award may be perceived as an attempt by the authorities to curb criticism regarding the lack of proper systems for casualty accounting and repatriation. However, the introduction of a formal incentive does not resolve the fundamental issues, such as the scale of losses, secrecy, the absence of transparent data, and violations of human rights related to the death and identification of the fallen.

The establishment of this medal appears to be a forced and overdue measure – acknowledging that after many months of war, Russia has still failed to create an adequate system for accounting for the dead and organizing their return. While the medal may provide moral support to those performing the difficult and traumatic work of body evacuation, it does not address systemic problems: the lack of open casualty lists, and the insufficient social and legal protection for the families of the deceased. Moreover, this decision may draw even more public attention to the issue of losses: the award underscores how many people remain unnamed, unacknowledged, and without a dignified farewell.

#RUSSIA

09.12.2025 08:39