March 02, 2026

Children Celebrate the Defender of the Fatherland Day


Children Celebrate the Defender of the Fatherland Day
Children participate in a flashmob to celebrate the Defender of the Fatherland Day.  Russian state media.

February 23 is a major state holiday in Russia: Defender of the Fatherland Day. The celebration focuses on the Russian military and was originally created to commemorate the Red Army’s founding. Today, Defender of the Fatherland Day celebrates both active and retired members of the Russian Armed Forces, as well as those who served in the Soviet military.

This year, several key celebrations included children in the festivities. The Victory Museum in Moscow staged a large patriotic flash mob to support soldiers participating in the Special Military Operation, namely Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

​Over 2,000 schoolchildren and university students formed the group’s core. They sang a militaristic children’s song, “We are United! Invincible!,” as they marched in place in the museum’s grand memorial hall.

​The Victory Museum’s collection focuses on the Second World War, but has expanded its exhibits to include objects from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Visitors can find captured vehicles, which are intended to “create a complete picture of countries’ participation,” meaning those allied with Ukraine. The new exhibit also includes stories of the “heroic deeds,” the story of “Operation Z”, and a section on “faith,” with military priests’ belongings and trophy items taken from Ukrainian churches.

​If visiting the Victory Museum and a flash mob were not enough to rally children into the holiday’s spirit, there was also a special concert of children’s marching bands in Moscow. An assortment of traditional songs was recorded to be sent to lift morale and thank those currently deployed in the war.

​Another group, the Young Army, participated in a large televised concert at the Russian Army Theater. The youth organization, funded by the Russian government, prides itself on training future soldiers. Their performance wrapped up a program that prominently featured the famous Alexandrov Ensemble, which performed classic folk performances, and even a North Korean military song as an expression of friendship.

​Thus, while more somber wreath-laying ceremonies and official addresses were conducted to mark the holiday, it was the youngest and most naive patriots who took center stage.

You Might Also Like

2026: Year of Unity
  • February 08, 2026

2026: Year of Unity

Putin has declared 2026 to be the "Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia."
Party Like It's 1945
  • December 21, 2025

Party Like It's 1945

Moscow's Museum of Victory has created a temporary exhibition highlighting how the Russians of the Second World War celebrated New Year.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Jews in Service to the Tsar
October 09, 2011

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955