Russian Holidays - Congratulations on Border Guard Day →

Border protection is a priority for any state. Border guards are not just a separate branch of the military - they are an elite. Spies are a small part of their job. Smuggling, drug trafficking, terrorism - this is an incomplete list of what border guards have to deal with. The starting point for the Border Guard Day holiday was the Decree adopted by the Council of People's Commissars on May 28, 1918. From this day on, the Border Guard of Soviet Russia was established. At the same time, a border guard department is being created. The officers of the border guard of imperial Russia are transferred to the newly created service. The dangerous profession of border defender has been respected for centuries. Our country's borders have been subject to raids throughout its history. The border guards of Ancient Rus' used ramparts and abatis lines that were created along the borders of our territories to protect themselves from nomadic tribes. This is how the first name of the border guards appeared - zasechnaya guard. In Soviet times, border troops belonged to and were subordinate to the KGB. From 1993 to 2003 there was an independent Federal Border Service. Currently it is subordinate to the Federal Security Service and is called the Border Service of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation. The Russian Federation has the longest frontiers: • Length of sea borders - 37636.6 km; • Length of land borders - 24625.3 km. In addition to large distances, the difficulty of protection lies in different climatic zones and terrain. We border on eighteen countries – there is nothing like this anywhere. The specifics of the border leave an imprint on the performance of service. Interceptors, missile boats and border outposts are on duty in the air around the clock. Border guards are in constant combat readiness. In the event of a surprise attack, they will be the first to meet and stop the enemy. This is exactly what happened on June 22, 1941. It was the border guards who were the first to meet the most terrible blow of the Germans. History tells sparingly about those days - the heaviest battles left practically no eyewitnesses and participants. An example of fearlessness and courage was the defenders of the Brest Fortress and the battle near the village of Legedzino. These and many other battles of the first days showed the Nazis what kind of soldiers they had to face. Border guards have always fulfilled their duty and still do it. In the troubled 90s, they became the only barrier against the furious wave of drug trafficking and terrorism. Border Guard Day is not so much an indicator of military power as a tribute to all those who died while protecting the borders of our Motherland. According to tradition, on May 28, celebrations are held in units and subdivisions, cities located near the borders. There are many memorial places where wreaths and fresh flowers are laid - places of memory of those who gave their lives for the sake of others. Congratulations to military personnel and veterans on their professional holiday! Let "Alarm!" does not disturb your sleep, and we always remember and honor our defenders.