February 23 is one of the important holidays for Russia and number of former republics of the Soviet Union.
This is Defender of the Fatherland Day.
The original name of the holiday is Red Army Day and it marked the date of the mass draft into the Red Army, that occurred in Moscow and Petrograd (modern Saint Petersburg) on February 17, 1918.
As far as February 17 fell on Monday in 1919, the date of the celebration was shifted to the next Sunday, that was February 23.
This date became traditional for further celebration of the holiday.
February 23 was proclaimed as Defender of Fatherland Day in different countries including Kyrgyzstan.
