Anatoly Lebed served his international mission in Afghanistan from 1987 to 1989 and has been in Chechnya since November 1999 with the assignment of destroying armed terrorist gangs. One of the operations ended with the seizure of a gang in which terrorist No.1 Shamil Basaev's orderly was killed. Several injuries incurred by Anatoly Lebed when rescuing his friends have not prevented him from returning to the ranks.
On the eve of the V-Day 60th anniversary, Vladimir Putin also gave awards to a group of WW Two veterans. They have endured hardships which can hardly be shouldered by everyone, said Putin. But like all other war veterans they have not only braved these hardships, they have gained victory. He emphasized that the morale of war veterans and their active display of their political stand set an example to our contemporaries and to the generations to come.
"We are talking a lot these days about the 60th anniversary of the victory in the second world war. It is indeed an event of a paramount importance, which is connected not only with the tremendous grief in the history of our state, but, undoubtedly, with glorious traditions as well. We have no right to forget about the enormous sacrifice made by our people for the survival of our country and the world civilization as a whole."
Addressing the award winners, the president said: "I would like to say today in this hall that the viability of our state, our country and our society was bred in 1941 despite all the attempts of the then government to ruin this strength with purges. This viability is a result of the talent and industry of the Russian people. And I should add that your activity today, your efforts and achievement are adding up to the might of this country, making it not just viable but creating a happy future for the generations to come."
Among distinguished people in culture, scientists and politicians whom Putin gave state awards were the renowned opera singer Irina Arkhipova who received Russia's supreme Order of St.Andrew the First-Called, and Nobel prize-winner Zhores Alferov who was awarded the First-Degree Order "For Service to the Country".
