October 1 is Defenders of Ukraine Day in Ukraine. This holiday was established in 2014 to honor the courage and heroism of the defenders of Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity, as well as the military traditions and victories of the Ukrainian people.
On this day, the Feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Mother of God is also celebrated. The idea of the Mother of God as a protector against enemies has deep roots dating back to the times of Kievan Rus’ and the adoption of Christianity in 988. Prince Yaroslav the Wise built a church at the Golden Gate in Kyiv as an expression of gratitude to God and the Most Holy Mother of God.
The Feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Mother of God was one of the most important holidays for the Cossacks, which is why it received a second name—Cossack Intercession. It was on the Feast of the Intercession that the Cossacks held councils at which they elected a new hetman or members of the senior leadership.
During the Ukrainian Revolution of 1917–1921, the traditions of the military-Cossack community were revived. They became the foundation for the development of the armed forces of the Ukrainian People’s Republic (UNR), the Ukrainian State, and the Western Ukrainian People’s Republic (ZUNR). This is particularly evident in the names of military units. The first such unit was the Bohdan Khmelnytsky Ukrainian Cossack Regiment, formed in May 1917. Subsequently, units were formed and named after prominent Cossack commanders—Petro Doroshenko, Maksym Zalizniak, Kost Hordienko, and Ivan Mazepa.
Cossack military traditions during the Ukrainian Revolution are also evident in military symbols (banners, insignia), the names of military equipment (armored trains “Khortytsia,” “Zaporozhets,” “Polubotok,” and others), and the names of ships (the cruiser “Hetman Ivan Mazepa,” the gunboat “Zaporozhets”). They are also evident in the uniforms and appearance of soldiers in Ukrainian military formations of that era: black caps with colored plumes, cherkesky coats, and other elements of traditional Ukrainian military attire. Often, soldiers shaved their heads in the Cossack style, leaving only a tuft of hair at the back.
During World War II, Ukrainians fought against Nazism in the ranks of the Red Army, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, and the armies of the United Nations. People from all corners of Ukraine and Ukrainians around the world—whether they served in regular armies or became partisans, served in auxiliary units or on the front lines, fought throughout the entire war or died in battle—fought side by side with other nations against Nazism. Soldiers of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army took up arms to protect Ukrainians from both totalitarian regimes—the Nazi and the Communist. They fought for the restoration of Ukrainian statehood and followed Cossack military traditions. The symbolic date of its founding is October 14, 1942, which at that time coincided with the Feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Mother of God. The UPA’s struggle was a continuation of the Ukrainian liberation movement during the Ukrainian Revolution of 1917–1921, as well as the underground and combat activities of the Ukrainian Military Organization and the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists in the 1920s and 1930s.
Today, our military has become one of the most combat-ready armies in Europe, with over 13 years of combat experience behind it. Already during the War for Ukraine’s Independence, our state reformed and modernized the Armed Forces according to the latest standards, reviving Ukraine’s unique military traditions. In battles against units of the Russian regular army, our military has become more professional and has emerged as one of the country’s most important institutions.
On this day, we honor the modern defenders of Ukraine, as well as Ukrainian heroes from different eras. Today’s soldiers are carrying on and developing Ukraine’s millennia-old military traditions. We thank everyone who defends our independence and remember everyone who gave their life for Ukraine.