Defender of the Fatherland Day
Defender of the Fatherland Day (Russian: День защитника Отечества Den' zashchitnika Otechestva; Kazakh: Отан қорғаушы күні, romanized: Otan qorğauşy künı; Tajik: Рӯзи Дорандаи Ватан, romanized: Rūzi Dorandai Vatan; Kyrgyz: Мекенди коргоочулардын күнү, romanized: Mekendi korgoochulardyn künü; Belarusian: Дзень абаронцы Айчыны, romanized: Dzeń abaroncy Ajčyny) is a holiday observed in Russia, Turkmenistan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. It is celebrated on 23 February, except in Kazakhstan, where it is celebrated on 7 May. Ukraine abolished the holiday starting 1992 and, after the Revolution of Dignity, has instated the somewhat similar Defender of Ukraine Day on 1 October.
Defender of the Fatherland Day
Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan
Celebrates the armed forces and commemorates the founding of the Red Army
Wreath laying ceremonies, concerts, parades
23 February 2025
annual
History[edit]
First celebrated in 1919, the holiday marks the date in 1918 during the Russian Civil War when the first mass draft into the Red Army occurred in Petrograd and Moscow (on 17 February).[1] In January 1919, it was decided to combine the celebration of that day with the anniversary of the publication of the decree on the establishment of the Red Army (of 18 February 1918).[1] In 1919, 17 February fell on a Monday, so it was decided to move the holiday to the following Sunday, 23 February.[1] That choice of day has been retained ever since.[1] It was originally known as "Red Army Day" (Russian: День Красной Армии).[1] In 1923, it was officially named Day of the Red Army and the Navy.[1]
In 1949, it was renamed to Soviet Army and Navy Day (Russian: День Советской армии и Военно-морского флота, romanized: Dyen' Sovyetskoy armii i Voyenno-morskogo flota).[1] Following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the holiday was given its current name in 2002 by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who decreed it a state holiday (in Russia).[2]
