MOSCOW. March 10 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has bestowed the Hero of Russia title on cosmonauts Alexander Grebenkin and Nikolai Chub.
Under the president's executive order, published on the official legal information website on Monday, Grebenkin and Chub received the title in recognition of their "courage and heroism demonstrated during the long-duration mission within the International Space Station [ISS] crew."
Grebenkin and Chub also received the honorary rank of pilot cosmonauts of the Russian Federation under the document.
Grebenkin, Russia's 133rd cosmonaut, enrolled in the Cosmonaut Corps in 2018. His first flight to the ISS took place aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft in March 2024. He returned to Earth in October 2024, having spent 235 days onboard the ISS.
Chub, Russia's 132nd cosmonaut, joined the Cosmonaut Corps in 2021. His first mission to the ISS as an Expedition 70/71 flight engineer started in September 2023. He returned to Earth in September 2024, having spent 374 days onboard the station, thus breaking the record for the longest single spaceflight under the ISS program. On October 25, 2023, he and another Russian cosmonaut, Oleg Kononenko, performed a spacewalk, which lasted for 7 hours and 41 minutes.