23.02.2017, DPR.
99 years ago, the strongest army in the world, the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army, was born. Under the Red Army’s banner, our ancestors fought off the invasion of foreign aggressors and their lapdogs during the Civil War (1917-1922 – Editor), and they defeated the hordes of Nazi invaders during the times of the Great Patriotic War”1.
It is important to remember that February 23rd, 2 is not just a day “when girls congratulate boys”3. Day of the Defender of the Fatherland is a date of special honoring of the veterans and active duty servicemen; it is a day of glory for Russian military tradition and its warrior spirit! Nowadays, this day is again regaining its truthful meaning and significance. This is especially true for Donbass.
We congratulate all our brothers-in-arms, comrades, and friends, who had come a long way together with us, as well as all the warriors defending our Motherland at the different fronts of this large and complex war. We wish you patience, strength, and courage in hard military service. Congratulations!
“Essence of Time” unit in Donbass
1 Great Patriotic War is the name used to refer to the part of World War II which started with the invasion of Nazis into the Soviet Union and ended with the Red Banner over Reichstag and defeat of Nazis from the hands of the Soviet people – Editor.
2 February 23rd is another name for the Day of the Defender of Fatherland in some post-soviet countries.
3 The authors are referring to the pre-war and partly to the current state of the societies in the post-Soviet countries. “Perestroyka”, which destroyed all the highest ideas of the Soviet society, leading to a situation when servicemen, veterans, and the military profession itself were treated with contempt in the post-Soviet countries. Many young people preferred to dodge military service. The Day of the Defender of the Fatherland has become a date when girls and women traditionally congratulate boys and men with small presents paying no notice whether they are servicemen or not. This situation shows that our society is largely consumeristic. But, as the authors note, now, when the brave servicemen of Donbass are defending their people, and the Russian military is defending the people of Syria, the Day of the Defender of the Fatherland has begun to regain its true meaning – Editor.
