RARE WW2 SOVIET UNION RUSSIAN MEDAL FOR THE CAPTURE OF BUDAPEST

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Soviet Union Russian Medal for the Capture of Budapest.

32mm wide circular gilt bronze medal with re-soldered ring for ribbon suspension; the face inscribed the face inscribed in Cyrillic characters ‘ZA VZYATIE BYDAPESHTA’ (for the Capture of Budapest), a five-pointed star above, a hammer and sickle below, laurel branches to either side; the reverse dated ‘13 FEVRALY 1945’ (13 February 1945), a five-pointed star above; on original slightly frayed ribbon and pentagonal hanger mounted for wear.

The Medal was instituted on 9 June 1945 to be awarded to Soviet military who participated in the capture of Budapest.  The city was encircled by the Red Army on 29 December 1944 but had been heavily fortified and it was not until 13 February 1945 that the city was finally in Soviet hands, some four-fifths of it having been reduced to rubble.

This is one of the rarer Soviet World War II medals.