Ulaanbaatar
‘Front’ Tsegmid awarded Order of Friendship of Russian Federation
Society
Ulaanbaatar/MONTSAME/. 98-year old S.Tsegmid, popularly known as the ‘Front’ Tsegmid has been awarded with the State Award of the Russian Federation – Order of Friendship. On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the Russian President Vladimir Putin issued on May 6, 2020, a decree on awarding Mongolian national S.Tsegmid with the Order of Friendship in recognition of her significant contribution to strengthening friendship and cooperation between the peoples.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, bringing the award to Mongolia had been delayed and on October 6, the award ceremony took place at the Russian Center of Science and Culture in Ulaanbaatar. Russian Ambassador to Mongolia I.K. Azizov said, “In November, 1942 the third batch of aids for the front-line Russian Red Army and the people of then Soviet Union departed from Mongolia. It was 237 wagons of contributions from the Mongolian people, including sheepskin coats, boots and foodstuffs produced by Mongolians. A herder of Saikhan-Ovoo soum of Dundgobi aimag S. Tsegmid, who was then 19-year old, was among the Mongolian delegation. She took part actively in collecting assistance for soldiers fighting at the front. A photo of 19-year-old S. Tsegmid, wearing a fur hat who is handing gifts from Mongolia to Red Army soldiers at the front remained in the history of Russian-Mongolian friendship. Thus, S. Tsegmid became a symbol of the great deed of Mongolian people's courageous assistance to the people of the Soviet Union.” The Ambassador also noted that Russia always remembers and highly appreciates the merits of the Mongolian people and the great support of the Mongolian people to the Soviet people during the difficult years of the war.
During World War II, the Mongolian people sent six batches of contributions of warm clothes and food that the Soviet people and Red
Army soldiers needed. One-third of the non-refundable assistance from foreign
countries to the Soviet Union was delivered by the Mongolian people. The assistance amount provided to the Soviet Union was equal to the two-year budget of Mongolia at
the time.
