What is particularly significant is the fact that the event dedicated to Defender of the Fatherland Day is taking place in the year marking the 75th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War and the end of WWII. This is what Minister of Defense of Armenia Davit Tonoyan said during a solemn reception hosted by the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Armenia ahead of Defender of the Fatherland Day on February 23.
According to the defense minister, even though Defender of the Fatherland Day isn’t considered a national holiday in Armenia, it lives in the hearts and memories of the elder generation. He recalled that a Russian military base is located in Armenia and that there have been many times when the personnel of the military base has shown that it meets its objectives in good faith and is very efficient. “The Russian presence in the South Caucasus is a major restraining factor that hinders the restart of military operations in the region and helps maintain stability and security in the region. Armenia highly appreciates the qualitatively new level of relations between Russia and Armenia, which serves as further impetus for the future development of the strategic relations between the two countries,” Tonoyan said.
In the former USSR, February 23rd was celebrated as the Day of the Soviet Army and Navy. Currently, Defender of the Fatherland Day is celebrated in Russia, Belarus and the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. In Armenia, it is celebrated by middle age people and elders who have served in the Soviet army.