The event was held in the Chief Administration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation for Moscow Oblast. Oleg Dukhovnitskiy, Head of the Federal Communications Agency; Deputy Chief of Research Affairs of Russia in the Moscow region, Major General Internal Service A. Lipilin; Major General of the militia Alexander Balyasnikov, Chairman of the Moscow Oblast Public Organization of Veterans of Internal Affairs Agencies; Colonel General Anatoly Shkirko, Member of the Board of Association of Combat Veterans of Internal Affairs Agencies and the Internal Troops of Russia; Tatyana Tinkova, a widow of the hero, and his son, Major of the police Valery Tinkov, an instructor in the Professional Development Center of the Chief Administration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for Moscow Oblast took part in the event.
In 1995, Valery Tinkov voluntarily went to Chechnya to participate in restoring constitutional order and headed a Moscow Oblast special purpose police unit.
Major Tinkov with his subordinates captured a guerilla strongpoint and blew up an ammunition warehouse on 14 April 1995. Having made a lodgement at that important tactical height, the unit of Moscow Oblast militia provided effective supporting fire to the attacking Internal Troops. Late in the evening of 1 May 1995, a composite column under the command of Tinkov was ambushed upon entering the city of Grozny. After calling for backup, Tinkov made a decision to go into action and mounted defense. He dispassionately and accurately directed the actions of his personnel under mass intense fire. Tinkov was mortally wounded by a sniper bullet in of the moments of the combat. The arriving reinforcements repelled and scattered the guerilla. Valery Tinkov averted the destruction of his unit at the expense of his own life.
Valery Tinkov was awarded the Title of the Hero of the Soviet Union (posthumously) for valor and selflessness shown at carrying out a special task.
The postage stamp bears an image of Valery Tinkov and the Gold Star Medal against a background reflecting the occupation of the hero.
“The image of Valery Tinkov will forever be preserved on the postage stamp, which will be included in all international philatelic catalogs. His heroic deed will serve an example of bravery, courage, valor and selfless service to the Motherland”, said Mr. Dukhovnitskiy.
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