Chinese marketplaces sell copies of Ukrainian orders: is it legal or not.

According to ТСН: Popular Chinese trading platforms have started selling copies of Ukrainian awards, including the Order for Courage, which can be purchased for only 145 hryvnias.

TSN decided to find out who might be interested in these fake badges and whether such a practice is legal. This research was entrusted to the honored journalist of Ukraine and holder of orders and medals Oleksandr Zahorodny.

Legality of sale and collectible value

Oleksandr Zahorodny is assisted by Oleksandr Sopov in the matter of proper award attire, who has made a significant contribution to the creation of most Ukrainian state awards. He is also the creator of the only Order Hall in Ukraine, which houses: “One honorary title Hero of Ukraine, 9 orders, 5 medals, 5 state prizes, about 53 honorary titles — mother-heroine, 4 people's, honored and 17 presidential awards”.

Oleksandr Sopov is aware of the Chinese copies and assures: “There is nothing criminal in this”. He noted that the Chinese also sell copies of US and UK awards, which are usually bought by collectors.

The awards expert emphasizes: “In Ukraine, there is no criminal responsibility for wearing someone else's awards, only for their forgery, i.e., illegal production”. The only thing that may exist is public condemnation.

“The Medal of Freedom, the one personally awarded by the President of the United States, is sold... No one would think to wear it, and it is monitored.”

Importance of the original: serial numbers

State awards are individual signs that cannot simply be replicated. Even the highest awards are made of precious metals: “The Order of the State and the Golden Star 990 proof!”

“State awards, orders are all serial numbered. It is currently almost impossible, very, very difficult to reproduce. The mint cannot launch a production line for the sake of one award with a specific number,” explained Oleksandr Sopov.

At the same time, the production of non-state awards, which are important for the community, continues. In one of the basement rooms where badges are created, TSN correspondents were shown: “This is an honor sign. This is a community, the head of the community awards, they ordered 100 pieces — this is for the holiday. There are many military and volunteers in this community”.

A new tradition: rosettes instead of orders

Since wearing awards in everyday life is inconvenient, Oleksandr Sopov promotes a new tradition in Ukraine: the rosette — a miniature analogue of the award.

“This is a rosette badge, this is an honorary title of an honored journalist, and this is the order for merit — on an ordinary jacket — that's how it should be, they look very interesting,” Sopov shows.

The awards created in Ukraine are genuine, and they find their heroes. The sign of people's honor “For preserving history” was awarded to Oleksandr Provozin, Oleksandr Halimov, and Dmytro Antonov, who take care of the unique Museum of Magnetic Recording.

▶ On the TSN YouTube channel, you can watch at this link: TSN 20:00 LIVE! FRIDAY’S SUMMARY NEWS, DECEMBER 12

Copies of Ukrainian awards on Chinese platforms have sparked a discussion, because despite their accessibility, Ukrainian legislation regulates the wearing of awards. Oleksandr Sopov emphasizes that real awards have their own features that prevent them from being reproduced. At the same time, the production of non-state awards that support the local community and recognize the efforts of people working for the benefit of the community continues.