Ribbon of Saint George
| Ribbon of Saint George | |
|---|---|
| Versions | |
Flag of the Saint George Ribbon. | |
The Ribbon of Saint George (tied). The pattern is thought to symbolise fire and gunpowder. It is also thought to be derived from the colours of the original Russian imperial coat of arms (black eagle on a golden background). | |
| Adopted | Order of Saint George, established in 1769 |
The ribbon of Saint George (also known as Saint George's ribbon, the Georgian ribbon; Russian: Георгиевская лента, romanized: Georgiyevskaya lenta; and the Guards ribbon in Soviet context) is a Russian military symbol consisting of a black and orange bicolour pattern, with three black and two orange stripes.
It appears as a component of many high military decorations awarded by the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union and the current Russian Federation.
In the early 21st century, the ribbon of Saint George has come to be used as an awareness ribbon for commemorating the veterans of the Eastern Front of the Second World War (known in Russia and some post-Soviet countries as the Great Patriotic War). It is the primary symbol used in association with Victory Day. It enjoys wide popularity in Russia as a patriotic symbol. Since 2014, the symbol has become much more controversial in certain post-Soviet states such as Ukraine and the Baltic states, due to its association with pro-Russian and separatist sentiment, especially following the start of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine where it has been associated with Russian nationalism and militarism.