23rd of February - Red Army Day

First celebrated in 1919, the holiday marks the date in 1918 during the Russian Civil War when the first mass draft into the Red Army occurred in Petrograd and Moscow (on 17 February).In January 1919, it was decided to combine the celebration of that day with the anniversary of the publication of the decree on the establishment of the Red Army (of 18 February 1918).In 1919, 17 February fell on a Monday, so it was decided to move the holiday to the nearest Sunday – 23 February. The photographed Red Army soldiers are produced by Engineer Basevich.