August 31 is celebrated in Ukraine as Aviation Day, Truck Driver’s Day, and in the world – World Blog Day, International Overdose Awareness Day.
On August 31, 1995, the launch vehicle “Zyklon-3” was carried out from the Plesetsk cosmodrome.
On August 31, 2015, after a vote in the Verkhovna Rada in favor of amending the Constitution, mass clashes began between protesters and law enforcement officers.
On August 31, 1986, one of the biggest disasters in the history of the civilian passenger fleet occurred – the eight-deck steamer “Admiral Nakhimov” sank.
Aviation Day
This is a professional holiday for employees of civil aviation, aviation industry and other industries related to aviation. It was first celebrated in 1993 by decree of the President of Ukraine, and since then it has become an important event for everyone related to aviation.
Interesting facts
On August 27, 1939, German engineer Hans von Ohein first tested the Heinkel He 178 jet-powered aircraft. This event ushered in the era of jet aviation, which fundamentally changed all aspects of military and civil aviation.
The legendary Ukrainian transport aircraft An-225 Mriya took to the air for the first time on December 21, 1988, but its name and reputation as the largest transport aircraft in the world remain a hallmark of Ukrainian aviation to this day.
On August 31, 1923, the Dobrolyot company was founded, which later became part of Aeroflot, one of the largest airlines in the world in Soviet times.
On August 31, 1970, the Boeing 747, also known as the Jumbo Jet, made its first commercial flight from New York to London. This aircraft ushered in a new era in commercial aviation, capable of carrying twice as many passengers as its predecessors.
Truck driver’s day
This is a professional holiday for all long-distance truck drivers. This day is designed to honor the work of those who ensure the uninterrupted supply of goods, raw materials and products throughout the country and beyond.
Interesting facts
Long-haul trucks are an integral part of logistics chains that connect manufacturers with sales markets. It is estimated that trucks transport approximately 70% of all goods in the world, making the truck driver profession one of the most important to the global economy.
One of the longest freight routes runs through Russia and connects Lisbon, Portugal with Vladivostok, Russia. Its length is about 13,000 kilometers, and the journey along this route can take several weeks.
From August 31, 2005, the mandatory implementation of digital tachographs in trucks and buses began in the European Union. These devices record speed, driving time and other parameters, helping to monitor drivers’ compliance with working hours and working conditions, increasing road safety.
BelAZ-75710, produced in Belarus, is the world’s largest truck. It can carry up to 450 tons of cargo and is used mainly in the mining industry.
As technology advances, more and more companies are investing in autonomous truck research. Although this may significantly change the trucking profession in the future, for now, truckers remain indispensable, especially on difficult routes and in non-standard conditions.
World Blog Day
This day was chosen because of its similarity to the spelling of the numbers and letters of the word “Blog” (3108). The idea of this holiday is for bloggers from all over the world to share their interests, make new connections and learn about other cultures and topics.
Interesting facts
The first blog is considered to be “Links.net”, created in 1994 by Justin Hall, a student at Swasmore College. At the time, this site was called a “personal home page”, but in its essence it was the forerunner of modern blogs.
As of 2023, there are more than 600 million blogs worldwide. They cover a wide range of topics, from cooking and fashion to politics and technology.
Blogs have become a powerful tool for expressing opinions and disseminating information. They play an important role in shaping public opinion, contributing to the discussion of important issues and can even influence political and social change.
With the advent of social media, the format of blogs has changed. Many bloggers have moved to platforms like Instagram, YouTube and TikTok where they can deliver their content to their audience in a more interactive way.
International Overdose Awareness Day
The day aims to raise awareness of the dangers of drug overdose and provide support to people who have lost loved ones to it. The holiday was founded in 2001 in Australia and has since become a global initiative.
Interesting facts
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 500,000 people die annually from drug overdoses. It is one of the leading causes of death among young people in many countries of the world.
Over the past two decades, many countries, including the United States and Canada, have experienced an opioid crisis. The term is used to describe a significant increase in opioid abuse, resulting in numerous overdoses and deaths.
Many countries have implemented needle exchange programs and the distribution of naloxone, a drug that can reverse the effects of opioid overdoses and save lives. These programs aim to reduce harm and prevent overdose deaths.
One of the key aspects of International Overdose Awareness Day is to combat the social stigma associated with drugs. Supporting people suffering from addiction and educating them about treatment options can significantly reduce overdose rates.
Historical events on this day
1422 year – Henry VI became King of England when he was only 9 months old. He ascended the throne after the death of his father, Henry V, and became the youngest monarch in English history.
1733 year – Empress of Russia Anna Ivanovna issued a decree by which she announced the forgiveness of all the sins of the Zaporozhian Cossacks and took them under her protection. This act allowed the Cossacks to return to their lands after a long period of instability and exile.
1898 – in The Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI), which has become an important center of technical education in Ukraine and one of the leading universities in the field of engineering and science, was inaugurated in Kyiv.
1907 – creation of the Entente, a military-political alliance between Great Britain, France, and the Russian Empire. This alliance was a response to threats from other states and played an important role in the political events leading up to the First World War.
1919 – in on the night of August 30-31, the combined forces of the Ukrainian Galician Army (UGA) and the Active Army of the Ukrainian People’s Republic (UNR) liberated Kyiv from the Bolshevik forces. It was an important victory for Ukrainian forces in the struggle for independence during the Ukrainian revolution.
1994 – A solemn ceremony was held in Berlin to mark the completion of the withdrawal of Russian troops from Germany. This event symbolized the end of Russia’s long military presence in East Germany, which began after World War II.
1995 – Ukraine launched its first research satellite “Sich-1” into Earth orbit. This satellite was intended for environmental monitoring and research of the Earth’s surface, becoming an important milestone in the history of the Ukrainian space program.
2002 – inthe first flight of the KP-01 autogyro of independent Ukraine took place. This event was an important step in the development of light aviation of Ukraine and a demonstration of the technical capabilities of Ukrainian engineers.
August 31, 1995 from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, the launch of the “Zyklon-3” carrier rocket was carried out, which was developed by the “Pivdne” design bureau in Dnipro, and the control system for it was created by the Kharkiv NPO “Electroprylad”.
The purpose of the launch was to put into orbit the Ukrainian space communication apparatus “Sich-1” and the Chilean satellite “Fasat Alpha”. Although the rocket launched successfully, due to emergency disconnection, both satellites could not enter the planned orbit and their operation became impossible.
From 2004 to 2011, three more Ukrainian satellites were launched from the Plesetsk cosmodrome, two of which are currently operational. After the declaration of Ukraine’s independence, about 130 enterprises of the rocket and space industry of the former USSR remained in the country. Soon, the National Space Agency of Ukraine was established, which until the beginning of March 2012 included only 30 enterprises and organizations. Among them were such important institutions as the “Southern” design bureau and the “Southern Machine-Building Plant” production association in Dnipropetrovsk, “Komunar”, “Khartron” and the Research Institute of Radio Technical Measurements in Kharkiv, the state-owned enterprise of special instrument construction “Arsenal”, the Kyiv Radio Plant , “Kyivprilad” production association, “Pavlograd chemical plant” NGO in Dnipropetrovsk region and the National Space Management and Testing Center near Yevpatoria.
On January 27, 2015, the former president of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma, said that in the event of the closure of the Southern Machine-Building Plant (“Pivdenmash”), Ukraine may lose its status as a space state. In response to these challenges, the “Pivdenmash” team appealed to the Ukrainian authorities with a request to either close the rocket industry in the country, or to urgently take measures to secure the enterprise with state orders. In response to this, a space program until 2022 was approved in Ukraine, according to which it was planned to launch six spacecraft from 2015 to 2022.
In 2019, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a law allowing private businesses to participate in the space industry. In 2020, the new government planned to allocate 15 billion hryvnias for the implementation of the space program in 2021-2025. On February 2, 2021, the Minister of Strategic Industries Oleg Uruskyi announced that President Volodymyr Zelenskyi set the task of launching the Sich-2-1-30 satellite into orbit for the 30th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence. However, problems arose again that prevented a successful launch.
August 31, 2015 2014, after the vote in the Verkhovna Rada in favor of introducing amendments to the Constitution, initiated by the President of Ukraine, clashes between protesters and law enforcement officers began near the parliament building.
About three thousand protesters gathered at the scene, most of whom were under the flags of the All-Ukrainian Association “Freedom” and the black and red flags of the OUN-UPA. Also among the participants were representatives under the banners of the Radical Party, the UKROP party, and separately – the “Financial Maidan” movement.
During the clashes in front of the main entrance to the parliament, one of the protesters threw a grenade. The explosion killed four people and injured dozens of people, including law enforcement officers and journalists, including two French reporters. Deputies of the Verkhovna Rada were forced to leave the building through an underground tunnel to avoid danger.
As a result of the clashes, 131 law enforcement officers were injured. Among the dead were veteran soldiers of the National Guard of Ukraine: Ihor Debrin, Oleksandr Kostin, Dmytro Slastnikov and Bohdan Datsyuk.
August 31, 1986 one of the biggest disasters in the history of the civilian passenger fleet, known as the collision in the Tsemes Bay, occurred. 13 kilometers from the seaport of Novorossiysk, the eight-deck steamer “Admiral Nakhimov”, which for 29 years performed cruises on the Crimean-Caucasus line, and the bulk carrier “Petro Vasev” collided.
1,243 passengers and crew members were on board “Admiral Nakhimov”. Among them were citizens of nine union republics who enjoyed a seven-day trip to the Black Sea. On that fateful day, the dry cargo captain Viktor Tkachenko completely trusted the computer technology, and the Nakhimova captain Vadim Markov left the captain’s bridge and went to his cabin even before the ships were supposed to pass each other, although he had no right to do so.
At 23:12, a dry cargo at a speed of 10 km/h crashed into the right side of the passenger steamer and literally rammed it. The ship sank so quickly that only one lifeboat could be launched.
64 vessels participated in the rescue operation. However, as a result of the disaster, 423 people died, including 359 passengers and 64 crew members. Most of the dead, 267 people, were citizens of the Ukrainian SSR.
The captains of both vessels were found guilty of violating traffic safety rules and transport operation and in 1987 were sentenced to 15 years in prison. Five years later, the presidents of Russia and Ukraine pardoned both captains.
Captain Viktor Tkachenko, having changed his surname to that of his wife — Talier, emigrated to Israel. In September 2003, a yacht under his command had an accident near Newfoundland. Later, the remains of the yacht and the dead, including the captain, were found near the Canadian coast. Viktor Tkachenko was buried in Tel Aviv. Captain Vadim Markov stayed to live in Odessa. After his release, he worked as a captain-mentor on passenger ships in the Black Sea Shipping Company. He died on May 31, 2007 in Odesa.
There is another story about the events of that evening. During the panic on the ship, the flight attendant Tetyana Fedorova distributed life jackets to the passengers until the last one. She did not have time to leave the sunken ship in time. A street in Pavlograd, Dnipropetrovsk region is named after her. “Admiral Nakhimov” lies at the bottom of the Tsemeska Bay at a depth of 47 meters, and the place of his death is declared a mass grave.
