With a little over three quaters of a million examples of the Defence of Stalingrad medal produced by the USSR this is an easily obtainable medal. There are currently two known variants, Variation 1 being 1940’s issue and discernable in part by a seperate eyelet, and Variation 2 shown here which is from the 50’s onwards and incorperates the eyelet into the stamping of the medal.

The cream, red, cream ribbon is easily discernable as the Stalingrad campaign medal BUT is very similar to the Defence of Kiev medal ribbon. The Kiev medal has a white / silver line of equal thickness running alongside the Red line.

Interesting to note is that Awardees of the medal could be civilians in addition to the “standard” military and police / NKVD recipients. This is an indication of the “total defence” that was necessary to maintain Stalingrad within Soviet hands.