President Vladimir Putin has conferred the honorary title "City of Labor Valor" on twelve Russian cities, according to reporting from gismeteo.ru and other outlets. The decree was issued on Saturday, September 5, 2026, as detailed by the news aggregator.
The designation recognizes cities whose residents made significant contributions to the home front during wartime, specifically through industrial production and labor efforts. Interfax, which also covered the announcement, confirmed that the honor was awarded to the full dozen of cities in a single decision.
The initiative for this round of designations traces back to a proposal from the president of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as reported by Vedomosti. Additionally, the political party United Russia had earlier pushed for the expansion of the "City of Labor Valor" program, an idea that Putin endorsed, according to news.newizv.ru.
The title "City of Labor Valor" was first established in Russia to commemorate the efforts of workers during World War II, often referred to in Russia as the Great Patriotic War. Cities that receive the status are typically expected to install a commemorative stele and host public events honoring the achievement.
The full list of the twelve newly honored cities has been published by gismeteo.ru, though the specific names were not included in the initial summary of the report. The decree adds to a growing number of municipalities across Russia that have received this distinction since the title was introduced.
Observers will likely watch for the official publication of the decree to see the complete roster of cities and to note which regions of the country are represented in this latest batch of honorees.
