Russia's Civic Chamber alarmed by fake war veterans and unregulated military medals

Members of Russia's Civic Chamber have raised concerns about the uncontrolled proliferation of unofficial awards for participants in the war in Ukraine. Foundations, NGOs, and private individuals are issuing their own medals en masse, while replicas of genuine state decorations are freely available on online marketplaces.

Members of Russia's Civic Chamber have sounded the alarm over what they describe as a growing crisis of illegitimate military honors — warning that the situation with unofficial awards for participants in the so-called "special military operation" in Ukraine has spiraled out of control.

According to the chamber members, a wide range of actors — including charitable foundations, non-commercial organizations, and even private individuals — are now producing and distributing their own medals and decorations to those claiming veteran status. The practice has given rise to what critics are calling "costumed veterans," people who wear medals they were never legitimately awarded.

Compounding the problem, replicas of genuine state awards can be purchased openly on Russian online marketplaces, making it effectively impossible to distinguish authentic decoration holders from those who have simply bought their medals. Chamber members warn this undermines the value of real military honors and the dignity of those who earned them through service.

The Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation, an advisory body that channels civil society input to the government, is now pushing for regulatory intervention to bring the awards system under state control. The situation reflects broader tensions in Russia over how to manage the symbolic and social dimensions of the ongoing war, including who qualifies as a veteran and what recognition they deserve.