President Vladimir Putin signaled plans to restore the honorary title of “Mother Hero,” a distinction that existed in the Soviet era. He also proposed a one-time payment of 1 million rubles to women who held this title. The remarks came after a meeting of the Presidency of the State Council at the end of May.
“In general, the agreement was reached to update and broaden the provisions of the Presidential Decree On Measures for Social Support of Large Families, including a revival of the title as it was in Soviet times, the honorary title Mother Hero,” he stated during a gathering with families with many children. The transcript of the meeting was posted on the Kremlin’s site (Kremlin publication).
Putin also suggested payments of 200,000 and 500,000 rubles to holders of the Parental Glory medals and orders, respectively. “When the Order of Parental Glory is awarded, there was no cash payment before—only the medal. I propose to add a lump-sum payment. Previously there was a 100,000 ruble payment for the order, and nothing for the medal,” he recalled.
He added that married couples who choose the challenging yet deeply meaningful path of a large family deserve real respect in Russian society. This attitude aligns with the country’s millennial history, he noted. Historically, one or two children per family were common only in earlier times; having three, four, or five children was a more typical pattern (historical record). Still, the president emphasized, today’s aspiration is to gradually revive traditions surrounding large families and their role in society. He argued that families raised in a large household tend to be reliable friends, colleagues, and fellow citizens—people who can be trusted to stand by one another and by the country (summary of remarks).
Putin also pledged to extend benefits for fathers with many children, including the possibility of earlier retirement. Currently, mothers with many children can retire at age 50.
“Russia’s National Idea”
Earlier, Natalya Karpovich, who leads a Moscow public organization focused on large families, proposed reviving the Mother Hero title, describing it as a way to honor the most prolific mothers. “As a mother of many children, I want to see our greatest honor restored,” Karpovich stated (public address cited by regional media).
Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova, who oversees social policy, also backed the plan. “A multi-generational extended family is the national idea of Russia,” Golikova remarked, noting that both of her grandmothers bore the Mother Hero title (Golikova’s interview notes).
The Mother Hero title was created in 1944 during World War II to recognize mothers who gave birth to and raised ten or more children. The award was placed to be granted when the youngest child reached one year of age. The insignia consisted of a gold, convex, five-pointed star set against silver rays expanding outward (historical description).
The first recipient hailed from the Moscow region: Anna Aleksakhina, who raised ten sons and two daughters. Four of her children died in the war, and she later received numerous honors for her family’s service and endurance. Her awards spanned decades, with recognition continuing until the late 1990s (biographical notes).
What awards exist for parents in the Russian Federation?
The Medal of the Order Parental Glory has been awarded to parents raising four or more children, including adoptive parents. The medal is made of gilded silver and is conferred when the fourth child is at least three years old, provided other children are still living. The award has been in place since 2008.
The Insignia of Parental Glory is conferred on parents who raise or adopt seven or more children. This honor emphasizes social responsibility, healthy living, and a strong commitment to the development and well-being of all children in the family. The badge is also crafted from gilded silver and is awarded when the seventh child is at least three years old, with other children surviving (official description of criteria).
As of January 2021, there were about 1.99 million large families in the country, responsible for raising roughly 21.5 percent of all Russia’s underage residents, amounting to about 6.5 million children. A decade earlier, in 2010, the number of large families stood at around 1.025 million (demographic data). These figures illustrate a continued emphasis on large-family policy in national social programs (statistical summary).