Defender of the Fatherland Day

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Defender of the Motherland Day
Wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow, 23 February 2008
Observed by	Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan
Significance	Celebrates the armed forces and commemorates the founding of the Red Army
Observances	Wreath laying ceremonies, concerts, parades
Date	23 February
Next time	23 February 2025 (2025-02-23)
Frequency	annual

Defender of the Motherland Day (Russian: День защитника Отечества Den' zashchitnika Otechestva; Kazakh: Отан қорғаушы күні, romanized: Otan qorğauşy künı; Tajik: Рӯзи Дорандаи Ватан, romanized: Rūzi Dorandai Vatan; Kyrgyz: Мекенди коргоочулардын күнү, romanized: Mekendi korgoochulardyn künü; Belarusian: Дзень абаронцы Айчыны, romanized: Dzeń abaroncy Ajčyny) is a holiday observed in Russia, Turkmenistan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. It is celebrated on 23 February, except in Kazakhstan, where it is celebrated on 7 May. Ukraine abolished the holiday starting 1992 and, after the Revolution of Dignity, has instated the somewhat similar Defender of Ukraine Day on 1 October.