Defender Of The Fatherland Day Fireworks

The Defender of the Fatherland Day is a holiday observed across several of the republics of the former Soviet Union.

This event was first celebrated in 1919 and this marks the date when the first servicemen and women joined the Red Army to defend the freedom of their Country. Initially called ‘Red Army Day’, it changed to the Defender of the Fatherland Day in 1991 following the fall of the former Soviet Union by current leader of Russia, Mr Vladimir Putin.

Fatherland Day honours serving soldiers in the Russian armed forces with parades and processions but it has developed into more of a ‘Father’s Day’ event where men receive gifts from loved ones.

Mr Putin laid a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier on what has become a public holiday and of course, no celebration would be the same without some fireworks which filled the night sky over the state capital Moscow last Monday. Unsurprisingly, there were a lot of ‘reds’!