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When is Border Guard Day celebrated in 2023
Probably, many people know that Border Guard Day is celebrated almost at the very end of spring, namely on May 28th. This date is fixed in the holiday calendar and does not change from year to year. So in 2023, the “green caps” will receive congratulations 28 May.
Meanwhile, Border Guard Day is not an official holiday, like any other professional holiday. However, his goal is quite important – to show and prove to everyone what a powerful superpower Our Country is, and to raise the morale of the guards of our borders. Moreover, the work at the time line is not easy: the border of the Federation is the longest in the world, besides, we have more neighboring countries than anyone else – as many as eighteen.
History of the Day of the border guard
Border Guard Day was invented back in the Soviet Union: in 1958, the Council of Ministers of the USSR adopted a resolution on the establishment of this holiday, assigning it to May 28. In Our Country, the professional holiday of the border guards has been officially celebrated since 1994: that year, the president signed a decree on its establishment. Moreover, it was decided to leave the date of the celebration the same – May 28.
But why is May 28, and not some other day? The explanation here is simple – because it was on May 28, 1918 that the Border Guard appeared in the RSFSR: it was established by decree of the Council of People’s Commissars. A year later, it was renamed from guard to army.
After that, the border troops were repeatedly reassigned to various departments. They were under the jurisdiction of the Special Department of the All- Extraordinary Commission (VChK), and the United State Political Administration (OGPU), and the People’s Commissar of Internal Affairs (NKVD). After the Great Patriotic War, border protection was entrusted to the Ministry of State Security, and in 1953 responsibility passed “by inheritance” to the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs. But already in 1957, the KGB took up the defense of the borders.
In 1991, the Soviet Union, as you know, collapsed. However, the need to protect the state border remained. Therefore, on June 12, 1992, the border troops of Our Country appeared, which became part of the Ministry of Security.
And on December 30, 1993, the authorities of our country withdrew the border troops to a separate structure. It was on that day that the President of the Federation signed a decree on the creation of such an independent executive body as the Federal Border Service – the High Command of the Border Troops (FPS – Glavkomat).
Exactly one year later, the FPS – the Main Command decided to rename simply the Federal Border Service (FPS). Nevertheless, the renamed structure continued to report directly to the President and the Cabinet of Ministers of our country.
But in March 2003, the border guards ended up under the jurisdiction of the Federal Security Service (FSB).
Traditions of the Day of the border guard
On the Day of the Border Guard, it is customary to remember those who gave their lives defending the borders of Our Country. So, not a single May 28 is complete without a flower-laying ceremony at memorials: for example, in Moscow such a commemorative event usually takes place at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
On this day, do not forget about the living heroes. Moreover, on their professional holiday, the “green caps” receive congratulations not only from relatives and friends, but also from officials of the highest level and even from the president himself. The same border guards who somehow proved themselves in the service receive awards and are awarded diplomas. And especially distinguished ones receive extraordinary titles and promotions.
In addition, on May 28, in major cities, in honor of the “green caps”, festive fireworks thunder, concerts are held and exhibitions are organized, which showcase the most modern weapons and military equipment that help border guards better protect our borders.
As for the border guards who have already served, they have their own special tradition associated with their professional holiday. This is a meeting with former colleagues. As a rule, on May 28, everyone who has ever served in the border troops put on their signature green cap and green and white vest and go to the assembly point. Such gathering places are usually city parks (for example, in Moscow it is Gorky Park, Poklonnaya Gora, Sokolniki Park and others).
By the way, the “green caps”, as well as the Airborne Forces, decided to swim in the fountains. Only now the border guards do it on May 28, and the paratroopers on August 2.