The airborne troops of Belarus are celebrating Paratrooper Day today

The history of the Airborne Forces began on August 2, 1930: on this day, during the exercises of the Air Force of the Moscow Military District near Voronezh, a unit of 12 people was parachuted.

The combat brotherhood of paratroopers is a sense of camaraderie in a common formation, readiness to always come to the rescue, to cover a comrade from a bullet, clinging to the straps, holding the extinguished parachute of a fellow paratrooper. It is an incomparable feeling of unity of paratroopers of all generations, from battle-hardened veterans to beardless youths who have just made their first parachute jump.

The holiday in the cities of Belarus - Minsk, Brest, Vitebsk - is marked by many events: solemn formations, rallies with the participation of veterans and representatives of various public organizations are held. Airborne soldiers demonstrate their skills in parachute jumps, demonstration performances, and displays of military equipment and weapons of mobile forces are conducted. In garrisons, meetings with veterans of the Great Patriotic War and the Airborne Forces are held, military bands, reconnaissance and parachute companies, and parachute athletes perform.

A special page in the history of the Belarusian Airborne Forces is the participation of the 103rd Vitebsk Airborne Division and the 334th Separate Special Purpose Detachment (formed on the basis of the 5th Special Forces Brigade) in combat operations in the Republic of Afghanistan. Hundreds of paratroopers were awarded orders and medals, and seven were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

In the 90s of the last century, mobile forces were formed as part of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus. Paratroopers honorably fulfill their military duty, continue the glorious traditions of their grandfathers and fathers, and remain true patriots of the Fatherland.

Events dedicated to Paratroopers' Day:

- concert program (Summer Amphitheater - a branch of the State Institution "Center of Culture "Vitebsk")

- Open days, meetings with internationalist soldiers, charity excursions for children of veterans and internationalist soldiers (State Institution "Vitebsk City Museum of Internationalist Soldiers")