Junior Sergeant Andrey Grigoryev defeated a Ukrainian soldier in a brutal knife fight last autumn
Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded Junior Sergeant Andrey Grigoryev a Gold Star medal after he prevailed in a hand-to-hand fight with a Ukrainian serviceman, the video of which went viral on social media.
Grigoryev’s heroics became widely known in early January. The footage, taken from the body of the deceased Ukrainian soldier, showed a fierce battle near the village of Trudovoye in Russia’s Donetsk region last fall. In the clip, a Ukrainian soldier was seen engaging in a close-range firefight with Grigoryev, which later descended into hand-to-hand combat, ending with the Ukrainian being fatally stabbed multiple times by the Russian.
The clip shows the Ukrainian calling Grigoryev, who hails from Russia’s far eastern republic of Yakutia, “the greatest fighter in the world” and asking to be given a chance to “die in peace,” which the Russian granted him.
In early January, Putin awarded Grigoryev the title ‘Hero of Russia’ for the “bravery and heroism” he demonstrated in combat.
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On Sunday, which is the Defender of the Fatherland Day in Russia, Grigoryev was invited to the Kremlin and awarded the Gold Star medal that comes with the title.
The video of the ceremony shows Putin shaking Grigoryev’s hand and pinning the award on his chest.
In addition to Grigoryev, Putin presented Gold Star medals to ten other Russian servicemen, ranging in rank from corporal to major general. Defense Minister Andrey Belousov also attended the ceremony.
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