July 1 is the day of remembrance and mourning of veterans. Combat Veterans Day
Since July 1, 2009, the tradition of celebrating the Day of Remembrance and Sorrow of Combat Veterans, or simply the Day of Combat Veterans, has taken root in Russia. However, government authorities in 2010 approved a different date - February 15 - the anniversary of the beginning of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. In the official calendar, this is the Day of Remembrance of Russians who performed their official duties outside the Fatherland or the Day of Internationalist Soldiers.
The attitude towards the Afghan war and the decision to leave Afghanistan in Russia is ambiguous. The leadership of the Russian Federation has a positive attitude towards this event and is trying to give it legitimacy in the eyes of Russians and those who went through that terrible war. However, with all due respect to the “Afghans,” February 15 is not a very “correct” date in relation to participants in hostilities in other states.
Operations worldwide
In addition to Afghanistan, Soviet troops took part in countless foreign missions in dozens of countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America after World War II. In particular, units of the Soviet army and special forces units carried out combat missions in Korea (1950–1953), Hungary (1956), Laos (1960–1970), Yemen (1961–1969), Cuba (1962), Algeria (1962– 1964), Vietnam (1961–1974), Czechoslovakia (1968), Syria (1967–1973), Angola (1975–1979), Mozambique (1967–1969, 1975–1979), Cambodia (1970), Bangladesh (1972–1973) ), Lebanon (1982) and other countries of the world.
Since the late 1980s, our country has faced serious internal threats: there was an explosion of separatist sentiments and nationalism in the republics of the USSR. Soviet troops were forced to respond to events in Baku (1988–1990) and attempts to overthrow governments in the Baltic states (1990). In the first years after the collapse of the USSR, the peacekeeping efforts of the Russian Federation helped save tens of thousands of lives in Transnistria, Abkhazia and Tajikistan.
In the 1990s, the Russian army and special forces had to put out fires in Chechnya and Dagestan. In August 2008, in South Ossetia, Moscow carried out an operation to “enforce peace” against the unruly Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili. In February-March, the “little green men” protected Crimeans from aggression from Ukraine. Since September 2015, Russia has been carrying out a military mission in Syria - the first large-scale foreign operation since the disappearance of the USSR.
Nowadays, new threats have appeared on the western borders of the Russian Federation, in Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Central Asia. A difficult situation remains in the North Caucasus, where special forces (GRU and FSB detachments) are waging both covert and open struggle against the gangster underground. In addition, if Western media reports are to be believed, Russian special services are involved in the liquidation of field commanders who fled from Chechnya to the countries of the Middle East. It is likely that today Russia continues to search for and destroy bandits.
Something to be proud of
According to Russian legislation, military veterans are recognized as former or current employees of law enforcement agencies who participated in operations in the USSR, Russia and in almost 50 foreign countries. With the exception of WWII veterans, these are hundreds of thousands of people, most of whom are now on well-deserved retirement. An important addition to the legislation was recently introduced at the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin: participants in the Syrian campaign received the status of combat veterans.
On July 1, in large Russian cities, veterans and citizens who care about the history of the country pay tribute to the memory of fallen soldiers. As a rule, wreaths and flowers are brought to the Eternal Flame, monuments to internationalist soldiers and other memorial complexes. In Moscow, the gathering center for veterans is Poklonnaya Hill.
A huge contribution to ensuring national security was made by fighters better known as members of the Alpha anti-terrorism unit. The glorious history of special forces includes operations in Afghanistan, Jordan, Israel, Cuba, Switzerland, France, Great Britain, Canada and the USA. Group “A” regularly fulfilled its duty in the North Caucasus: it captured the leader of the “army of Dzhokhar Dudayev” Salman Raduev and destroyed him. and also freed hostages in a Beslan school.
The President of the Association of Veterans of the Alpha anti-terror unit, Sergei Goncharov, believes that Combat Veterans Day should unite post-Soviet countries, like May 9. “Victory Day, unfortunately, is the only holiday that reminds us of our common history. They are more proud of nothing else, and, of course, this is unfair. After all, Soviet soldiers performed glorious military feats not only during the fight against Nazism,” said RP Goncharov.
Memorial event. Photo: Mikhail Japaridze/TASS
According to him, veterans of military operations in Soviet and post-Soviet times did something that young people can and should be proud of. “The last one is, naturally, ensuring the process of reunification of Crimea with Russia. “Polite people helped Crimeans make a free choice and not at gunpoint.” The brilliant operation of our guys is a grandiose undertaking, the fruits of which we will remember for a long time,” Goncharov noted.
RP’s interlocutor is confident that the lightning-fast and professional actions of “polite people” will someday become a legend. Goncharov believes that July 1 is a day for those who know how to do “a man’s work” and remember what an officer’s honor and dignity are. Goncharov hopes that Russian security forces will eventually be able to restore complete order in the troubled North Caucasus.
Every morning, waking up under a peaceful sky, listening to the singing of birds, and not bomb explosions, walking with a confident step on the ground, covered with green grass, and not ashes from fires, we sometimes forget whose merit it is.
Fearless, strong people, risking themselves, entered the fight against the enemy and prevented any encroachments of the enemy towards our Motherland. Many military conflicts of local and global significance were resolved thanks to these courageous people - combat veterans. Having exerted a lot of health, strength and combat skill, they earned a worthy right to respect.
Combat Veterans Day is celebrated in Russia on July 1. The holiday is unofficial, but among all other unofficial dates its importance is actually difficult to overestimate.
The holiday began to be celebrated in the Russian Federation only a few years ago. At the general meeting, more than 3 thousand veterans voted to celebrate the memorial date on the first day of the second summer month. According to combat veterans, all participants in armed conflicts that occurred after 1945 should be united by a common day. And so that on this day we can honor not only veterans of the Armed Forces, but also combatants from the structures of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the FSB and other law enforcement agencies.
It must be said that, despite the lack of official status, Combat Veterans Day is celebrated in an organized manner in a number of Russian regions. Thus, in Moscow, commemorative events begin with laying flowers at the memorial to the internationalist soldier on Poklonnaya Hill, and then concerts are held with the participation of famous artists.
In other cities, events begin with the laying of wreaths and flowers at the Eternal Flame and memorials: from Sevastopol to Vladivostok, from Makhachkala to Murmansk.
In Azov, on this day in 2004, a monument to fallen internationalist soldiers was inaugurated on Victory Square. The names of thirty-four city residents who laid down their lives in various conflicts that our country had to face are carved in gold letters on the monument: from conflicts on our own territory to military operations outside the country to provide international assistance to those who were officially considered allies.
It is important to note that such participation was often secret: Korea, Vietnam, African countries. Many names of deceased combat veterans remain classified secret to this day. This is the other side of protecting the Fatherland, when the family of the deceased may not know for decades where their son/husband/brother/father died and was buried.
Over the ten years of war in Afghanistan, about 750 thousand soldiers, officers, sergeants and warrant officers were involved. This is a whole army, many of whose representatives rightfully celebrate the holiday of military veterans today.
These people carried out their assigned tasks with outstanding courage and knowledge of their craft. More than a third of the internationalist soldiers received state awards for military merits, and 90 people were awarded the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union and - later - Hero of the Russian Federation.
After the collapse of the USSR, a “favorable” situation was created for the development of new military conflicts and brutal wars. It was created, it must be admitted, not without external “help”. The Caucasus, the Balkans, Central Asia, and Transnistria caught fire. Millions of families found themselves separated by borders, new ideological principles, or a complete lack of ideas other than imposed pseudo-freedom. How many human destinies these conflicts have crushed is no longer calculable. How many people have lost relatives and friends, how many have become refugees, how many have been eaten by an asocial environment - as a variant of the syndrome of participation in hostilities.
Our people have their own participation in wars and armed conflicts, have their own list of names of heroes, both those who fell on the battlefield and, fortunately, those who lived until the end of the armed confrontation. I would like to believe that the names of veterans of the fight against terrorism, internationalist fighters - those who gave peace - will never go down in history.
Today's holiday is something that reminds us all of the participants in combat operations living next to us, and those who are no longer nearby. This day in the calendar of memorable dates is a tribute to everyone who defended the Fatherland in their hands and went through the severe trials of war.
A memorable date is celebrated in Russia - Combat Veterans Day. And although it does not yet have official status, every year it becomes more and more famous in our country. Since 2009, this holiday has also been called “Day of Remembrance and Sorrow of Combat Veterans.”
This is a day of remembrance for everyone who fought for Russia, no matter in what wars and armed conflicts, fulfilling their duty to defend the Motherland. As a tribute to them - the veterans who live next to us, and to the memory of those who are no longer alive.
The idea of creating a single holiday among combat veterans who took part in numerous wars and armed conflicts on the territory of the Russian Federation and other countries has been circulating for a long time. And they began to celebrate it informally at the beginning of the 21st century. This was caused by their desire to gather on one day, not tied to one or another event of the numerous wars in which they were destined to become participants (currently in our country there are separate memorable dates - Days of Military Glory and other holidays dedicated to the history of specific military actions).
But the initiators of the new date are not giving up - they are confident that all veterans should have their own common date, not wanting to confuse the date of the end of the Afghan war and honoring other veterans. And, for example, unlike (), it should be dedicated to local conflicts. This will allow you to maintain the specificity of the dates. We all remember and honor the veterans of the Great Patriotic War, of whom there are fewer and fewer every year. But in our country there remain many relatively young veterans who risked their lives and health in the interests of the Motherland after the Great Victory over Nazi Germany. They also deserve recognition and respect.
Therefore, a separate date will be an occasion to congratulate not only the military, but also employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the FSB, as well as other participants in combat operations who are not military personnel, on Combat Veterans Day, and for all of them to once again get together and remember their fallen comrades.
It must be said that, despite the lack of official status, on July 1, Combat Veterans Day is already celebrated in an organized manner in a number of Russian regions. For example, in Moscow, the traditional meeting place for veterans of all years, places, countries of military operations is Poklonnaya Hill, where commemorative events begin with laying flowers at the memorial to the internationalist soldier, and then a cultural program is organized with the participation of famous artists.
In other cities, event participants also begin this day by laying wreaths at the Eternal Flame, at monuments to internationalist soldiers and other memorials. In addition, recently this date has been receiving increasing attention from the media, which also contributes to the recognition and spread of the holiday. At the same time, regional authorities in a number of constituent entities of the Russian Federation also support the very idea of holding the Day of Veterans of Combat Actions and Local Conflicts.
You have passed the combat points
In Afghanistan and Chechnya,
In Egypt, in Syria, in Lebanon,
Fighting for peace in war.
They honestly deserved their awards
For hard, backbreaking work.
Because they didn’t spare their lives,
In the Fatherland they call you heroes.
Thank you, dear veterans,
For dedicating your life to the fight,
And we will not forget your names,
And let your glory thunder everywhere!
July 1 - Combat Veterans Day is celebrated throughout Russia. Fighters from Chechnya and Afghanistan, which everyone knows, but also from Transnistria, the Baltic states, Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh, Baku, Fergana, Tajikistan.
Such soldiers are rarely known. But bullets, wounds, dreams - they have in common.
The holiday, not marked in the state calendar, was appointed by the military themselves and has been celebrated for several years now.
Just calling this day a holiday is neither divine nor human. This is the Day of Remembrance for those who fulfilled their military duty by order of the Motherland and by the dictates of their conscience. This is Combat Veterans Memorial Day. Our memory to you is bright and our respect to real men! Lively health and peaceful skies above your head!
Brothers, friends! We sincerely congratulate combat veterans on this holiday! Health and happiness to those who are retired and in reserve. And to those who serve, of course, the same health, good luck, and may the number of departures for service be equal to the number of returns home. On this day, we will definitely remember those who died performing their duty. They will forever remain in our hearts!
All the memory candles burn in my soul,
I will not forget the friends who died for the Fatherland,
Such is fate! And until the last days
I will remember those to whom I owe my life.
On July 1, Russia celebrates a memorable date - Combat Veterans Day. And although it does not yet have official status, every year it becomes more and more famous in our country. Since 2009, this holiday has also been called “Day of Remembrance and Sorrow of Combat Veterans.” This is a day of remembrance for everyone who fought for Russia, no matter in what wars and armed conflicts, fulfilling their duty to defend the Motherland. As a tribute to them - the veterans who live next to us, and to the memory of those who are no longer there...