№ 2316-2317. “Heroes of the Russian Federation” series. Warrant officer Alexander Krasikov (1958−2005). Lieutenant colonel Anatoly Lebed (1963–2012)

Alexander Vladimirovich Krasikov (1958−2005) was a warrant officer at the Federal Security Service, a Hero of the Russian Federation.

He was born on 25 October 1958 in Nalchik. He joined the Federal Security Service in 1995 and served as assistant to the Duty Major General Commandant at. the Administration of the RF Federal Security Service of the Kabardino-Balkar Republic. On 13 October 2005 a group of militants launched an assault on the Republic main military forces. However through well-coordinated activities of the federal special services and support from the residents, the massive terrorist attack was prevented and the terrorists did not capture a single key city object. Warrant officer Alexander Krasikov sacrificed his life to stop the terrorists from entering the building of the Administration of the RF Federal Security Service. He was posthumously awarded the title of the Hero of the Russian Federation by Presidential decree of 4 November 2005.

Anatoly Vyacheslavovich Lebed (1963–2012) was a guards lieutenant colonel of the 45^th Guards Spetsnaz Regiment in Special Airborn Forces named after Kutuzov and Alexander Nevsky, Hero of the Russian Federation.

Anatoly Lebed was born on 10 May 1963 in Valga, Estonian SSR. He graduated from the Lomonosov Military Aviation Technical School and then served in combat operations in Afghanistan in 1986-1987 as an aircrew member in a helicopter regiment. After his return from Afghanistan, he served successfully in the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, in the Trans-Baikal and Siberian military districts. From November 1999 he participated in counter-terrorism operations in the North Caucasus, in 2008 – in combat operations in South Ossetia. For his bravery under fire he was awarded three Orders of Courage, three Orders of the Red Star, the Order for Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces to the USSR, 3^rd class, the Order of Saint George, 4^th class. For his courage and heroism in the performance of military duty in the North Caucasus Anatoly Lebed was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation by Presidential decree of 6 April 2005.