The Guards paratroopers from Buryatia received awards for their exploits in the Kursk region

The servicemen of the 11th Separate Guards Airborne Assault Brigade from Ulan-Ude, who participated in Operation Potok to liberate the city of Sudzha, Kursk region, from the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) in March 2025, were awarded high state awards. This was announced on December 13 by the press service of the Russian Ministry of Defense.

During the ceremony, 12 servicemen of the unit received the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree with swords, the Order of Alexander Nevsky with swords, the Order of Courage, the Medal for Bravery and the medal of Luke of the Crimea. The state awards were presented to the soldiers by the commander with the call sign Barkas. He also expressed congratulations on the occasion of the award.

"Our most important task is to survive and win. To return home alive and well to your family and friends. And to do this, you need to be vigilant, take care of yourself, and help your friend in a difficult moment. I bow low to your parents for bringing up such heroes. Congratulations once again on the high awards. Thank you for your soldier's work," said the commander of the unit.

It is noted that the servicemen performed their military duty with honor and dignity. Showing bravery, courage and ingenuity, the fighters inflicted maximum damage on the enemy during combat work.

The award ceremony was held in the rear area in the Orekhovsky direction of the special military operation zone.

"We entered the village of Mirnoye through the industrial zone. Through him, we went out into Sudzha itself — we cleared it, and thus threw back the front," recalls Konstantin Zaitsev, senior lieutenant, commander of the parachute company.

Iron Stream: unknown facts about the daring operation to free Suji

What our soldiers had to go through before they saw the light at the end of the tunnel, — in the material of a special correspondent of Izvestia

In March 2025, the Russian military overcame about 15 km of the pipeline, after which they suddenly surfaced for the enemy near the Kursk city of Sudzha, deep in the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The operation was attended by soldiers of the combined assault squad, formed from soldiers of the 11th Guards Separate Airborne Assault Brigade, the 30th regiment of the 72nd Motorized Rifle Division, the Akhmat special forces detachment, as well as volunteers of the Veterans assault brigade.

Participants in the special operation on March 11 said that they had to move half-bent, and in many places even crawl. The main advantage of the plan was the unexpected appearance, which helped to catch the enemy off guard. The commander of the Akhmat special forces, Lieutenant General Apti Alaudinov, added that the attack on enemy positions was conducted simultaneously from three directions.

On the same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin was informed about the operation.

Later, on March 12, Soldiers of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation raised the Russian flag at the administration of the Kursk city of Sudzha. The building was located in the central square of the city.

Residents evacuated from Sudzha, liberated from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, told Izvestia on March 15 how they met the Russian military who came to the settlement through a gas pipe. They said that the arrival of the Russian fighters was a great joy.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.