The obverse design corresponds exactly to the officially registered heraldry of military unit 43063: a golden eight-pointed star beneath the northern lights within a black medallion, framed by an anchor chain, set on diagonally crossed harpoon and arrow over the GRU emblem, and the harpoon and anchor speaking to the unit's maritime special reconnaissance mission. All of this is rendered in crisp relief with black and red enamels within a laurel wreath, surmounted by the naval-pattern double-headed eagle with crossed anchors. The reverse is struck "Russian Armed Forces" around the MoD eagle above "Naval Spetsnaz 40th Anniversary" with maker's mark below. The pentagonal suspension carries the correct MoD ribbon with naval blue-and-white and white-red-white striping, and the original pin-back assembly is complete and functional. Condition is excellent throughout: bright gilt, intact enamels, sharp strike.
Naval spetsnaz material is the deep end of Russian special forces collecting. These units number in the dozens of operators, their insignia is produced in quantities a fraction of army or MVD issues, and demand from specialist collectors consistently outstrips supply. A piece tied to a specific named unit and garrison, and a lineage reaching back to the Cold War's underwater front, is exactly the kind of researchable artifact that anchors a serious post-Soviet special operations collection. We do not expect to offer another example soon.