Defender of the Fatherland Day
The Defender of the Fatherland Day ( Russian День защитника Отечества ) is a public holiday in Russia and some other parts of the former Soviet Union . It is celebrated annually in Russia on February 23rd and has been off work since 2002.
Historical background
The holiday was established in 1922 by Lenin through the command no. 95 as non-working days of the Red Army introduced. So it was called until 1949, then until 1991 Day of the Soviet Army and Naval Forces . It was one of their most important holidays until the end of the Soviet Union and commemorates the beginnings of the Red Army. On February 23, 1918, soldiers were recruited in Petrograd and Moscow for the first time on a large scale and there were victories in battles between the Red Army and the troops of the German Empire near Pskov and Narva . However, the decree establishing the army was issued on January 25, 1918, about a month earlier.
Large military parades used to take place on public holidays.
Status of the holiday in the individual states
Russia
In Russia, the holiday was officially reintroduced in 2002 under its current name. He is supposed to celebrate the members of the Russian armed forces.
Belarus
In Belarus, the holiday (known in the Belarusian language as Дзень абаронцы Айчыны ), like in Russia, is celebrated on February 23, on which the country's first unified military was established in 1918. The Belarusian President traditionally lays a wreath on the monument on Victory Square in Minsk on February 23 . Since Russia celebrates Defender of the Fatherland Day on the same day, soldiers from the Belarusian Armed Forces and Russian Armed Forces hold joint events.
Ukraine
In 1999 the Ukrainian parliament decided to reintroduce the Soviet holiday. He was not off work. President Petro Poroshenko revoked his official status on August 24, 2014, as Ukraine "will honor the defenders of their homeland, and not those of a foreign [country, note]". October 14th was chosen as the new “Day of the Defender of Ukraine”, the traditional day of the Ukrainian Cossacks and the anniversary of the establishment of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army . The day is off work.
Kazakhstan
In Kazakhstan , Defenders of the Fatherland Day is celebrated on May 7th, when the Kazakh army was formed in 1992 . In Kazakh, the day is called Отан қорғаушы күні.
Transnistria
In Transnistria (which is not recognized as an independent state under international law), Defender of the Fatherland Day is a national holiday and is celebrated on February 23. The main festive events take place in Tiraspol . The President of the Republic and the heads of security agencies take part in them.
Armenia
This day is not a public holiday in Armenia. But on February 23, solemn events for Defender of the Fatherland Day will take place in Yerevan and Gyumri. The Armenian Defense Minister, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Armenia, senior officers and soldiers of the Armed Forces of Armenia and Russia and the representatives of the diplomatic missions visit Yerevan Victory Park. They lay wreaths at the Monument of the Unknown Soldier to commemorate the victims of the defense of the fatherland. After that, Armenian and Russian soldiers parade through the park.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b russland.RU: February 23 - Defender of the Fatherland Day ( Memento of the original from June 25, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ russland.RU: The Day of the Defender of the Fatherland in Russia ( Memento of the original from June 25, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Порошенко: Україна вже ніколи не святкуватиме 23 лютого ( memento of the original from August 25, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (Ukrainian)
- ↑ Interfax Ukraine
