The Medal "For Distinction in Protection of the State Borders" (Russian: Медаль «За отличие в охране государственной границы») is a state award of the Russian Federation.

It can trace its lineage back to the Soviet Medal "For Distinction in Guarding the State Border of the USSR".

[2] Presidential decree № 1099 of September 7, 2010[3] amended the entire Russian awards system away from the distinctions of the Soviet Era, this included changes to the medal's statute.

On its obverse in the background, a border marker bearing the State Emblem of the Russian Federation, following the medal circumference from the bottom center to just short of the tip of the border marker, an oak branch along the left side and a laurel branch along the right side, in front of the marker, a rifle bearing a bayonet crossing a sword at a 45-degree angle.

The mount is covered by an overlapping 24mm wide green silk moiré ribbon with 3mm red edge stripes.