Measures 3 ½" x 5", b/w, printed on thick textured matte photo paper. The photo appears to have been taken, developed and printed by an amateur photographer. The verso features the text, seal and signature of the official certification of Kovpak's identity. It reads "The identity of the Hero of the Soviet Union, Major General (ret.) Sidor Kovpak is hereby confirmed and certified. Military Commissar of the Lenin District Military Commissariat of the city of Kiev Lt. Col. A. Hekhaenko. 23 March 1962."

The photo is in excellent condition. The image is intact, showing just faint traces of the chemicals used to develop the print, rather typical for amateur photos of those times. Full stops of the typewritten text on the verso have partially punched to the obverse, however they did not punch all the way through, and are only seen as raised points, visible only when the photo is tilted to reflect a bright light. The verso is mostly clean, showing very mild age toning to the paper, and a couple of faint water stains at the bottom, barely noticeable and not detractive.

Bringing considerable military experience gained during the Civil War, Sidor Kovpak led an ever-growing army of partisans behind the German front lines. From 1941 to 1943, the army left behind it over 10,000 km (over 6,000 mi) in Russia, Ukraine and Belorussia, liberated 39 cities and towns, derailed 62 trains, blew up 256 bridges, 92 warehouses, and hundreds of trucks and armored vehicles.

In the course of his career, Sidor Kovpak was awarded four Orders of Lenin, Order of the Red Banner, Bogdan Khmelnitsky 1st cl, Suvorov 1st cl, multiple medals and foreign orders.