Vladimir Karpovich Kotlinsky was a Russian Second Lieutenant and war hero during World War I. He was known for being the main commander during the famous Attack of the Dead Men as he led the counterattack of 60 to 100 men from the 226th Zemlyansky Infantry Regiment before being mortally wounded during the battle. He was posthumously awarded the 4th Class of the Order of St. George for his services in the battle.

The Order of Saint George is the highest military decoration of the Russian Federation. It was originally established on 26 November 1769 Julian as the highest military decoration of the Russian Empire for commissioned officers and generals by Empress Catherine the Great. After the October Revolution in 1917, it was awarded by the White movement under Alexander Kolchak until their collapse in 1921. The order was revived in the Russian Federation on 20 March 1992 by Decree No.1463 of the President of Russia. The current award criteria were amended on 7 September 2010 by Presidential Decree 1099.