#Putin awarded VTB CEO Andrey Kostin the title of Hero of Labor . Kostin turned 70 today . Context. Hero of Labor of the #Russian Federation is one of the country’s highest state distinctions, created in 2013 as a modern successor in spirit to the Soviet title Hero of Socialist Labor. It is awarded for exceptional achievements in economic, scientific, cultural or public life and comes with a distinctive gold medal. Kostin has headed VTB since 2002