Airborne Forces Day

Airborne Forces Day is celebrated on August 2 on the basis of the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated May 31, 2006 “On the Establishment of Professional Holidays and Memorable Days in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation” in recognition of the merits of military specialists in solving the tasks of ensuring state defense and security ^[1] .

The birthday of the Airborne Forces is considered August 2, 1930 . On this day, at the exercises of the Moscow Military District near Voronezh, for the first time, an airborne unit in the amount of 12 people was parachuted for performing a tactical task ^[2] . On the territory of the USSR , the Airborne Forces were involved in all armed conflicts.

In 2019, the Russian Airborne Troops turns 89 years old ^[3] .

Airborne Forces Day, which is a professional holiday for active and reserve airborne troops , is traditionally celebrated throughout Russia, Belarus and other CIS countries ^{[4] [5] [6]} .

During the celebration, demonstrations by paratroopers, concerts, charity events, festivals, crafts fairs and souvenir sales and exhibitions are traditionally held in many cities.

During the celebration of the Airborne Forces Day, there is an increase in the strength of the Ministry of Internal Affairs , as the celebration is often accompanied by fights, pogroms and riots, the initiators of which are most often the paratroopers themselves ^{[7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13]} .

In some Russian cities, it is customary to turn off the fountains on the day of the Airborne Forces and to release all employees responsible for their work on a day off. This is done in order to reduce the damage from the celebration ^[14] .

Venues

• In Astrakhan, veterans are found in the Bratsk Garden.
• In Alma-Ata, veterans are found in the Central Park of Culture and Rest named after Gorky .
• In Barnaul, paratroopers are found on Veterans Square near the House of International Movement, Komsomolsky Prospekt 73B.
• In Voronezh, paratroopers meet at the monument to the first landing party "Voronezh-Rodina Airborne Forces" in Victory Park, traditionally laying wreaths and flowers in memory of the fallen paratroopers in various conflicts.
• In Vitebsk, paratroopers meet on Victory Square .
• In Donetsk, veterans are found in the Shcherbakov Park and near the monument to the fallen Afghan warriors .
• In Yekaterinburg, paratroopers are found on the square of the Soviet Army at the monument to the soldiers who died in the Afghan war - Black Tulip .
• In Irkutsk, paratroopers are found on the island of Youth and near the House of Officers.
• In Kazan, paratroopers are found on the Fountain Square near the Kamal Galiaskar Theater and in Victory Park .
• In Kiev, the meeting places of veterans: the Museum of the Great Patriotic War , a monument to soldiers-internationalists, less often - Independence Square , in the Hydropark .
• In Minsk, paratroopers are found in the Chelyuskintsev Park and on the Island of Tears .
• In Moscow, the traditional places for annual meetings of the Blue Berets are Gorky Central Park of Culture and Culture and Poklonnaya Gora .
• In Novosibirsk, paratroopers are found in Central Park and on Lenin Square .
• In the city ​​of Ob, they are found on the square near the cultural house “Wings of Siberia”.
• In Rostov-on-Don, paratroopers are found in the Gorky park.
• In St. Petersburg, traditional meeting places are: Krestovsky Island , Palace Square ^[15] .
• In Taganrog, paratroopers are found at the monument to Vasily Margelov ^[16] .
• In Kharkov, paratroopers are found in the Gorky Park.
• In Angarsk, paratroopers are found on the square named after V.I. Lenin and march to the Elov reservoir.
• In Tula, paratroopers are found on Lenin Square.
• In the Dnieper, meetings are held on the embankment at the monument to Vasily Filippovich Margelov and on Komsomolsky Island.
• In Nizhny Novgorod, paratroopers are found on the banks of the Volga River at the monument to Valery Chkalov.
• In Chelyabinsk, paratroopers are found on the Revolution Square.
• In Ryazan, those involved in the celebration meet on Victory Square. The celebration of the city’s day under the name "Ryazan - the capital of the airborne forces" is timed to coincide with the celebration. Everywhere celebrations are held, culminating in a festive salute in the center of the city.
• In Krivoy Rog, paratroopers gather in the park near the monument to the senior sergeant Dmitry Sushko who died in Afghanistan and in the Jubilee Park - near the monument to internationalist soldiers and the bust of V.F. Margelov.
• In Tver, paratroopers are found on Victory Square at the Victory Obelisk. Usually a celebration begins with an organized rally.

• Skydiver day

• Celebrating Airborne Forces Day in Russia
• Celebrating Airborne Forces Day in Novosibirsk
• Photos of celebration of Airborne Forces Day 2013 at the All-Russian Exhibition Center
• 85th anniversary of the Airborne Forces Novosibirsk