This is the date that made the foundation of the Ukrainian army official after the country declared its independence. It also became a symbol of the new defensive system of the state.
This holiday is for all the men and women who serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including the Army, Air Force, Navy, and other organisations. It is meant to celebrate the people who protect Ukraine's borders, security, and independence every day.
Over time, Armed Forces Day has changed from an official holiday to a special day for everyone in Ukraine. On this day, people show their appreciation for the army, remember the cost of independence, and do everything they can to help the defenders.
The Verkhovna Rada approved a bill in 1991 that formally formed the Ukrainian army. This was after Ukraine declared its independence. At that time, the country had one of the biggest military institutions in Europe: a portion of the Soviet army with its own weapons, facilities, and people. But even though it was big, the army needed to change a lot to fit with the new principles and reality of an independent state.
The Armed Forces went through a hard time of reform in the 1990s and 2000s. They cut their numbers, changed how they were run, and slowly started to follow NATO standards. Russia's aggressiveness in 2014, which included taking over Crimea and starting a war in Donbas, was the first big test for the Armed Forces. At that point, the Ukrainian army really did come back to life: the command was changed, new combat units were formed, the volunteer movement was supported, the army became more professional, and it was actively rearmed.
The Armed Forces kept becoming better and better when the full-scale assault began in 2022. The Ukrainian military has shown that it can fight against one of the biggest forces in the world, employ modern weaponry successfully, work with allies, and carry out complicated missions. The Armed Forces of Ukraine is now a modern, motivated, and well-organised force that stands for the country's might.
