Arnold Meri was posthumously awarded the medal of Honor
President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev on March 28 signed a decree posthumously awarding the retired Colonel, hero of the Soviet Union Arnold Meri medal of Honor, reports RIA Novosti with reference to the press service of the Kremlin.In addition, the head of state expressed his condolences to the relatives of Mary, who on the evening of 27 March died on 89-m to year of life at home in Tallinn.According to preliminary information, the cause of his death was lung cancer.In his last years Arnold Meri prosecuted by the Estonian authorities, who accused him of the genocide of peaceful population of Estonia in 1949.According to the indictment, he participated in the mass deportations of the island of Hiiumaa.Mary received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for the defense of corps headquarters near the town of Porkhov neighbouring Estonia Pskov region. During the battle on July 18, 1941 he was shot four times but did not leave the battlefield and continued to command the defenders. Source: Arnold Meri was posthumously awarded the medal of Honor.