OREANDA-NEWS. March 6, 2009. The President presented the orders, medals and diplomas conferring the honorary titles.

State awards were given to soldiers who showed courage and heroism while carrying out the tasks of restoring peace and security in the Georgian-South Ossetia conflict in August 2008. The Hero of Russia Star was awarded to Major Alexey Ukhvatov; the Order of Courage to Private Maxim Petrov, Captain Alexander Fursov and Colonel Andrew Slobodian; the Order of Military Merit to Major Vladimir Zalitov; and the Medal for Valour to Ensign Sergey Derbenev.

Dmitry Medvedev stressed the achievements of various cultural figures. The Order for Services to the Fatherland I Class was awarded to the conductor of the Dmitry Shostakovich St Petersburg Academic Philharmonic Orchestra, Yuri Temirkanov. Among the other winners were two well-known Russian stage and film actors, Oleg Yankovsky and Vasily Lanovoy, and the head coach of Russia's Rhythmic Gymnastics team, Irina Viner.

State awards were presented to more than 40 Russian citizens.