St. George ribbon, banned in several European countries, made official ‘symbol of military glory’ in Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a new law equating the black-and-orange-striped ribbon of St. George with state-protected “symbols of military glory.” Its public desecration may now lead to misdemeanor or even felony charges.

The ribbon of St. George, the law explains, symbolizes

the heroism, gallantry, and resilience of the peoples of our Fatherland, the heroic achievements of its defenders in the course of combat operations and in meeting other military goals or performing duties in defending the Fatherland.

Under the new law, public officials can display the ribbon of St. George when commemorating historic dates, in patriotic education, and in similar patriotic contexts. Private individuals and organizations can also use the ribbon, granted that it’s “guaranteed to be treated as a symbol of military glory.”

The public desecration of the St. George ribbon may lead to fines of up to three million rubles (about $41,000), or a prison sentence of up to three years. Organizations may face liability of up to five million rubles ($68,000). Where desecration was committed by prior agreement among a group of people, or coordinated via the media and the Internet, fines may also reach five million rubles, and prison time for perpetrators may increase to five years.

• The bill for making the St. George ribbon an official “symbol of military glory” was submitted to the State Duma in April 2022. On December 19, the bill passed in third reading, followed by approval from the Federation Council.
• Ukraine, Germany, Moldova, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have all banned the ribbon of St. George from display on their territory.