The Russian president
and other participants of the ceremony honored the memory of all the fallen
defenders of the Fatherland.
MOSCOW, February 23.
/TASS/. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has laid a wreath at the Tomb of the
Unknown Soldier near the Kremlin wall on Saturday morning. The traditional
ceremony is dedicated to Defender of the Fatherland Day, which Russia celebrates
on February 23.
The ceremony also
featured Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, speakers of the Federation Council and
the State Duma Valentina Matviyenko and Vyacheslav Volodin, as well as Defense
Minister Sergei Shoigu. Members of veteran organizations, government officials,
politicians and members of parliament also laid flowers at the tomb.
The Russian president
and other participants of the ceremony honored the memory of all the fallen
defenders of the Fatherland.
Defender of the
Fatherland Day
February 23 marks
Defender of the Fatherland Day in Russia.
Since 1923, February
23 has marked Red Army and Navy Day. In 1946-1992, the holiday was celebrated
as Soviet Army and Navy Day, but in 1993 it was renamed Defender of the
Fatherland Day.
In 2002, February 23
was declared a non-working day for the first time.
On Defender of the
Fatherland Day, various ceremonies involving veterans are usually held, which
among other things include laying flowers at war memorials. At night,
celebratory gunfire and fireworks take place in Hero Cities (a Soviet honorary
title awarded for outstanding heroism during World War II to 12 USSR cities and
the Brest Fortress) and municipalities hosting the headquarters of district
military commands, fleets and all-arms armies. The holiday is meant to honor
military servicemen but it actually celebrates men on the whole, regardless of
their age and profession.
Apart from Russia,
several other former Soviet states (Belarus, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and South
Ossetia) also celebrate February 23 as a holiday.
Source: ITAR-TASS
23-02-2019
