Putin awards title of hero of russian federation to Hero of Ukraine

The president of the aggressor country, the russian federation, vladimir putin, signed a decree on awarding the title of Hero of russia to Alexei Berest, a Soviet officer who supervised the installation of the Victory Banner over the Reichstag in 1945. It was reported by the russian propaganda news agency TASS.

Berest, a native of the Kharkiv province, became a symbol of victory over Nazism, but during his lifetime he never received the highest Soviet award. Unlike his subordinates Meliton Kantaria and Mikhail Yegorov, who installed the Victory Banner under his leadership, he never became a Hero of the USSR.

He was awarded the title of hero of russia for "courage, bravery and selflessness shown in the fight against the German-fascist invaders."

It is worth noting that putin's decision contradicts the kremlin's previous position: in 2003, the state awards commission under the president of the russian federation refused to award the title, citing the fact that Berest's merits had already been awarded the Orders of the Red Star and the Patriotic War, 1st degree.

At the same time, back in 2005, Alexei Berest was recognized as a Hero of Ukraine - the corresponding decree was signed by then-President Viktor Yushchenko.