12 citizens of the Republic of Moldova have been awarded on Tuesday, September 21, medals and distinctions of the USSR for participating in the Afghanistan war. The ceremony took place inside the Russian Embassy from Chisinau, and the distinctions were awarded by Ambassador Nikolai Reabov. Chairman of the Afghanistan War Veterans’ Union of the Republic of Moldova, Mihail Mocanu mentioned that these awards were granted back in 1989, but after the Soviet Union fell apart the distinctions were forgotten. After some time, Russia restarted giving them to “persons that deserve them”. The event was attended by 10 soldiers, as one of them deceased. His distinction was awarded to his widow. Another person didn’t make it to the ceremony. Approximately 12.5 thousand citizens of the Republic of Moldova took part in the Afghanistan war, of which more than 300 died on the battlefield.