The Medal "For the Defence of the Caucasus" was established on May 1, 1944, by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.

[1] Award of the medal was made on behalf of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on the basis of documents attesting to actual participation in the defence of the Caucasus issued by the unit commander, the chief of the military medical establishment or by a relevant provincial or municipal authority of the Stavropol or of the Krasnodar Soviets of People's Deputies, of the Supreme Soviet of the Georgian SSR, of the Azerbaijan SSR, of the North Ossetian ASSR or of the Kabardin ASSR.

Serving military personnel received the medal from their unit commander, retirees from military service received the medal from a regional, municipal or district military commissioner in the recipient's community, members of the civilian population, participants in the defence of the Caucasus received their medal from regional or city Councils of People's Deputies of the Stavropol and Krasnodar territories Soviets of Workers' Deputies, from the Supreme Soviet of the Georgian SSR, of the Azerbaijan SSR, of the North Ossetian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic or from the Kabardin ASSR.

[4] For the defenders who died in battle or prior to the establishment of the medal, it was awarded posthumously to the family.

[1] The statute of the Medal "For the Defence of the Caucasus" was amended to include members of the civilian population of the Dagestan ASSR,[2] of the Grozny Region,[3] of the Armenian SSR[5] and of the Rostov region[6] as eligible recipients for their participation in the defence of the Caucasus.