Order of Lenin

The Order of Lenin (in Russian, the Orden Lenina), named after the leader of the Russian Revolution, was the highest national decoration of the Soviet Union. Established on April 6 1930 by the USSR's Central Executive Committee, it was awarded to civilians for outstanding services rendered to the State, to workers for majors achievements in labour activity, to members of the armed forces for exemplary service, to recipients of the titles of Hero of the Soviet Union and Hero of Socialist Labor, to those who promoted friendship and cooperation between peoples and in strengthening peace, and other meritorious services to the Soviet state and society. It was also awarded to factories, companies, cities, regions, and republics.

Among the recipients of the Order of Lenin are the Pravda newspaper, Nikita Khrushchev, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, General Georgi Zhukov and Fidel Castro.