DAYS OF MILITARY HONOUR
THE BATTLE OF SINOP IS ANNUALLY COMMEMORATED IN RUSSIA ALONG WITH OTHER OFFICIAL DAYS TO COMMEMORATE FAMOUS RUSSIAN VICTORIES
Russia commemorates 17 days every year that each represent an outstanding military victory won during the country’s history. Some of the days are state holidays but the majority are celebrated purely by the armed forces.
The earliest ‘Day of Military Honour’ by year is 1242, which commemorates Alexander Nevsky’s victories against the Teutonic Livonian Order at the Battle on the Ice on 18 April. The other Medieval day is for the Battle of Kulikovo, which was fought against the Mongols on 21 September 1380. Sinop forms one of only two days from the 19th century, with the other being the far more famous Battle of Borodino against Napoleon on 8 September 1812.
The most prominent days focus around Soviet victories during WWII. The Siege of Leningrad and the battles of Kursk, Moscow and Stalingrad are all prominently commemorated while the most important days are reserved for May and November. On 9 May a state holiday known as ‘Victory Day’ is held in recognition of the surrender of Nazi Germany in 1945. The 7 November marks the October Revolution Parade that took place during the Battle of Moscow. The only other state holiday apart from Victory Day is ‘Defender of the Fatherland Day’ on 23 February, which commemorates the founding of the Red Army in 1918 during the Russian Civil War.