Russia, Soviet Union. A Bravery Medal Group, To Private Popadenko Vasiliy Mikhaylovich, 1St Ukrainian Front

Medal for Bravery, Type II (in silver with red enamels, number impressed "998161" on the reverse, measuring 37.5 mm in diameter, intact enamels); Medal for the Capture of Berlin 1945 (in brass, measuring 32 mm in diameter); Medal for the Liberation of Prague 1945 (in brass, measuring 32.2 mm in diameter); and Medal for Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945 (in brass, measuring 32 mm in diameter). Each medal with its original ribbon, mounted to a five-sided brass suspension, conjoined, with pinback. Greening and spotting evident on the two campaign medals, light contact, better than very fine. Accompanied by his stamped and dated Award Booklets for the Medal for the Capture of Berlin 1945, the Medal for the Liberation of Prague 1945 and the Medal for Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945, along with copies of his Citations for the Bravery Medal.

Footnote: Popadenko Vasiliy Mikhaylovich was born in 1923, a Russian and Komsomol member, who was drafted by the Sovetsk RMC, Stavropol Oblast. He was a Private with the 1277th Infantry Regiment, 389th Infantry Division, 1st Ukrainian Front, where he was employed as a marksman of the sub-machine-gunner company, when he was in combat with German forces near the village of Boyarka, Zhitomir Oblast, Ukraine on December 23, 1943. He exclaimed "Long Live the Motherland! Long Live to Stalin! Hurray!" as he first entered the village, whereupon he killed two German soldiers and was severely wounded in the process, as documented in his citations, dated January 1, 1944. For his effrts that day, he was awarded the Bravery Medal. In addition, he was awarded three medals on May 6, 1946: the Medal for the Capture of Berlin 1945 (A No. 292482), the Medal for the Liberation of Prague 1945 (A. No. 259959), and the Medal for Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945 (C No. 086550).