Paratroopers' Day

Airborne Forces Day^[a] also known as Paratroopers' Day^[b] is a professional military holiday observed in Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, celebrated on 2 August annually.^[1] It was formerly celebrated in the Soviet Union until its collapse in 1991. It was celebrated in Ukraine as Airmobile Forces Day^[c] from 1999 until 2017. It is the official holiday of the former Soviet Airborne Forces and the modern Russian Airborne Forces.

Airborne Forces Day
A demonstration at the Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy
Also called	Paratroopers' Day
Observed by	Belarus Kazakhstan Russia Soviet Union (historically) Ukraine (1999–2017)
Type	State
Significance	Professional working day
Celebrations	Military ceremonies and events
Date	2 August
Next time	2 August 2026 (2026-08-02)
Frequency	annual

History

The birthday of the Airborne Forces is considered to be 2 August 1930. On this day at military exercises of the Moscow Military District, a 12 member paratrooper unit was parachuted for performing a tactical task.^[2] Airborne Forces Day is currently celebrated on 2 August, 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".^[3]

In Ukraine, from 1999 to 2017 Airmobile Forces Day day was celebrated on 2 August.^[4] From 2017 Ukraine’s Airmobile Forces were renamed Air Assault Forces, their traditions revised, and a new Air Assault Forces Day [uk] declared 21 November, which is the day of the patron of the paratroopers, Archangel Michael.^[5][4] According to President Petro Poroshenko this move was "Ukrainianization of the historical and political calendar - to replace the Soviet-Russian imposed on us."^[5]

Celebrations

Airborne Forces Day, which is a professional holiday for active and reserve airborne troops, is traditionally celebrated throughout Russia, Belarus and other countries.^[6][7][8] During the holiday, many cities traditionally held demonstrations of paratroopers, concerts, charity events, festivals, crafts fairs and souvenirs exhibition and sale. 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.^[9]

Common meeting places

Troops of the VDV during the 90th anniversary parade in Moscow.

• In Almaty, veterans are found in the Central Park of Culture and Rest named after Gorky.
• In Donetsk, veterans are found in the Shcherbakov Park and near the monument to the fallen Afghan warriors.
• In Kyiv, the meeting places of veterans included the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War, a monument to soldiers-internationalists, and less often, Maidan Nezalezhnosti. The Ukrainian Air Assault Forces now celebrates its own holiday on 21 November.
• In Moscow, the traditional places for annual meetings of the Blue Berets are Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure and Poklonnaya Gora.^[10] The capital's first ever Paratroopers Day parade was held in 2018 on the southern part of Red Square near Saint Basil's Cathedral and the Monument to Minin and Pozharsky marking 88 years of the Airborne Forces.
• In St. Petersburg, traditional meeting places include Krestovsky Island and Palace Square.^[11]
• In Vitebsk, paratroopers meet on Victory Square.

See also

• Police and Internal Affairs Servicemen's Day
• Border Guards Day
• Navy Day
• Defender of the Fatherland Day
• Paratroopers' Day (Tajikistan)

Notes

1. Russian: День Воздушно-десантных войск, romanized: Den Vozdushno-desantnykh voysk
2. Russian: День десантника, romanized: Den desantnika
3. Ukrainian: День високомобільних десантних військ, romanized: Den vysokomobilnykh desantnykh viisk