Original Item. Only One Available. This is an original Soviet WWII Medal "For Courage" (Медаль «За отвагу»), serial numbered 2,215,054, awarded in 1945 to Guards Red Army rifleman Emelyan Efimovich Kiyachenko of the 4th Guards Mechanized Brigade. The medal is tied to Kiyachenko's close-range infantry fighting during the final campaigns in Hungary, including combat connected with the destruction of the German forces surrounded in Budapest.

The circular silver medal has the standard wartime design. The obverse bears three aircraft above the red-filled Cyrillic inscription:

ЗА
ОТВАГУ

"For Courage"

Below is a Soviet T-35 heavy tank, with СССР at the base in red. The plain reverse carries the individually applied serial number 2,215,054. The medal is suspended from the regulation pentagonal mount covered with the gray moiré ribbon edged in blue, introduced for the decoration during the war.

Condition is good overall, with substantial age toning and surface wear to the silver from service and handling. The red lettering retains visible coloration, while the medal face shows scattered abrasions and darkened patina. The ribbon has age toning, light soiling, and localized wear, and the reverse mounting hardware remains present. The decoration retains a strong, untouched service-worn appearance.

Historical Context

The Soviet Medal "For Courage" (Медаль «За отвагу») was instituted on October 17, 1938, to recognize personal bravery during military service. Throughout WWII, it became one of the Soviet Union's principal decorations for individual acts of gallantry, particularly among enlisted soldiers and junior officers engaged in direct combat. More than four million were awarded during the Great Patriotic War. In June 1943, the original rectangular suspension was replaced with the familiar pentagonal mount and gray ribbon with blue edges, establishing the wartime configuration used through the end of the conflict.

The recipient, Emelyan Efimovich Kiyachenko, served as a rifleman with the 4th Guards Mechanized Brigade, a formation of the 2nd Guards Mechanized Corps. Soviet mechanized brigades combined motorized infantry, tanks, and supporting weapons to conduct mobile operations and maintain control of captured positions. The brigade included three motorized rifle battalions and the 23rd Guards Tank Regiment, allowing its infantry and armored elements to operate together during offensive actions.

During the closing months of 1944, the brigade participated in operations in Hungary as Soviet forces advanced toward Budapest. The Budapest Offensive began on October 29, 1944, and by late December the city had been surrounded. German and Hungarian forces continued defending the capital while German formations outside the encirclement attempted to relieve the garrison. Fighting continued through the winter, with Soviet troops advancing through fortified positions, trench systems, and densely built urban districts. Budapest finally fell to Soviet forces on February 13, 1945.

Kiyachenko distinguished himself during the fighting against German forces surrounded in Budapest. His award citation credits him with killing three German soldiers and capturing an enemy prisoner for interrogation. During a separate engagement involving the capture of an enemy trench, he killed another three German soldiers using his rifle and bayonet.

The 4th Guards Mechanized Brigade continued to receive recognition for its service in Hungary. On May 5, 1945, the formation was awarded the Order of Kutuzov, 2nd Class, for its successful combat operations during the capture of Budapest and the courage demonstrated by its personnel. The award came only days before Germany's surrender and recognized the brigade's participation in one of the final major Soviet offensives in Central Europe.