 Despite repeatedly being nominated she was denied high honors at the war's end, reflecting the Soviet Union's unequal approach to honoring its fighting men and women.However, she was belatedly honored by President Mikhail Gorbachev in May 1990 with the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.Born in Leningrad, Mikhailova-Demina lost her parents at an early age and grew up in a Leningrad orphanage.