December 4 is the Day of Missile Troops and Artillery in Ukraine, International Bank Day and World Wildlife Day.
Day of Missile Troops and Artillery of Ukraine
Ukraine is famous for its military history, as well as for the people who defend its independence. One of the symbols of the country’s military strength is missile troops and artillery, a powerful component of the Ukrainian army. This day celebrates those who work to ensure the country’s defense capabilities and protect its national interests.
Every year, the Day of Missile Forces and Artillery was celebrated on November 3, but from 2024 the date was moved to December 4. Missile troops and artillery play a key role in wars and conflicts, because the outcome of combat operations depends on their coordinated work. This is the “God of War”, as the military calls artillery, because it often becomes the decisive factor in stopping the enemy’s offensive and ensuring superiority on the battlefield. In today’s conditions, the role of missile forces and artillery has gained strategic importance, especially given their ability to deliver precise strikes on the enemy at considerable distances.
Interesting facts
The first mention of the use of artillery on Ukrainian lands dates back to the 16th century, when Cossacks used cannons during hostilities.
During the Russian-Ukrainian war, artillery demonstrated high efficiency in destroying enemy columns, equipment and fortifications, becoming one of the most powerful tools of the Armed Forces.
Ukraine is actively developing modern missile systems, including “Vilkha”, which has high-precision characteristics and can hit targets at a distance of more than 100 km.
Ukrainian artillery is among the ten most effective in the world due to its accuracy, maneuverability and innovative approach to combat operations.
Military artillerymen have their own unofficial anthem, which they perform during celebrations and important events.
International Bank Day
Every year on December 4, employees of the banking sector and everyone related to the financial industry celebrate this holiday, which was officially established by the UN General Assembly in 2019, when the relevant resolution 74/245 was adopted. Bank Day celebrates the importance of financial institutions in developing economies and maintaining global stability.
Banks are not only places to save money or arrange loans. They are key tools that ensure economic development, support international trade, promote financial inclusion and the introduction of innovative technologies.
The introduction of this day was intended to emphasize the role of banks as the driving force of the global economy. The UN resolution specifically highlighted the importance of financial institutions in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, as they play a critical role in financing projects that help alleviate poverty, ensure environmental sustainability and support innovation.
Interesting facts
The first bank in the world was founded in 1472 in Siena, Italy, and is still active today. This is Monte dei Paschi di Siena.
During the global pandemic, banks provided financial support to citizens and businesses, adapting their services to new conditions.
Today, more than 70% of the world’s banking services are done online, making access to finance easier for millions of people.
Many banks actively invest in startups that develop fintech solutions, contributing to the creation of new financial instruments.
The world’s largest banks have assets that exceed the budgets of many countries.
World Wildlife Day
This date was officially proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 2013 to draw attention to the need to preserve the flora and fauna of our planet. The holiday reminds humanity of the importance of wildlife for the ecosystem and life as a whole. This day was not chosen by chance – on March 3, 1973, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was adopted. This international agreement became an important step in the fight against illegal trade in rare species of animals and plants.
The main purpose of Wildlife Day is to raise awareness of the importance of biodiversity and draw attention to the problems facing wildlife, including species extinction, pollution, deforestation, poaching and climate change. Today, protecting wildlife is not only an ethical, but also a practical task. Forests provide oxygen, rivers and lakes regulate the climate, and animals and plants play a critical role in ecosystem stability.
Interesting facts
Every year, the planet loses more than 30,000 species of plants and animals due to human activities.
More than 50% of all species of flora and fauna live in tropical forests, although these forests occupy only 7% of the earth’s surface.
Many wildlife species are listed in the International Red Book as endangered.
Our country has a number of nature conservation programs, and the Carpathians and Polissia are centers of Europe’s unique flora and fauna.
Coral reefs provide habitat for 25% of marine species, although they cover less than 1% of the oceans.
Historical events on this day
1638 year. After the defeat of the Cossack uprising led by Yakov Ostryanytsia and Dmytro Guna, the Cossack council adopted the so-called “Ordinance of the Zaporizhia Register Army” in the Masliv Stav tract. This decision was an attempt by the Polish authorities to limit the autonomy of the Cossacks and subordinate them to the Polish administration, causing tension between the Cossack elders and the peasants.
1791 year. The first issue of the world’s oldest Sunday newspaper was published in Great Britain — Observer. She became not only an innovator in journalism, but also a symbol of freedom of speech. The newspaper remains one of the leading media platforms in the world.
1808 year. Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte abolished the Inquisition in Spain. This became an important step in overcoming medieval religious practices and contributed to the spread of Enlightenment ideas.
1918 year. US President Woodrow Wilson left the country for the first time in history, sailing to Europe to participate in the Versailles Peace Conference. This move underscored the new role of the United States on the international stage after the First World War.
1938 year. The first congress of “Carpathian Sich” — a paramilitary organization created by members of the OUN in Transcarpathia — took place in the city of Khust. It became a symbol of the struggle for Ukrainian identity in the region.
1963 year. In Chernihiv, the first stage of worsted and cloth mill was launched, which at that time was the largest in the USSR, demonstrating the economic potential of the region.
1987 year. The operation of the third power unit of the Chornobyl NPP has been resumed after the 1986 disaster. This decision caused mixed reactions among the public, but was dictated by the energy needs of the country.
1991 year. Lithuania and Latvia were the first among the Baltic states to recognize the independence of Ukraine. This gesture symbolized unity and support in a difficult historical period.
1996 year. A space station has been launched at Cape Canaveral (USA). Mars Pathfinder, which became a landmark project in the study of Mars. Six months later, the station delivered the first self-propelled vehicle to the surface of the red planet.
1997 year. In the Canadian city of Ottawa, 125 countries signed the Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines. This document became an important step in protecting the civilian population from the consequences of wars. However, China, Russia and the US did not support the agreement.
Petro Kalnyshevskyi: the last basketball chieftain of Zaporozhye Sich
On December 4, 1803, in Solovki, Petro Ivanovich Kalnyshevskyi, the last basket chieftain of Zaporizhzhya Sich, an outstanding figure of Ukrainian history and a symbol of the indomitable Cossack spirit, ended his earthly life. Pyotr Kalnyshevsky first became a kosh chieftain in 1762, when he was 72 years old, but held this position for less than a year. Three years later, he was again elected koshov, and he remained in this post until 1775, when the Zaporozhian Sich was liquidated by order of the Russian empress Catherine II.
In June 1775, when the Russian troops under the command of General Tekeli surrounded Sich, Kalnyshevsky, together with military clerk Ivan Globa and judge Pavel Holovaty, was arrested. They were accused of “treacherous rebellion” and sent to the Solovetsky monastery for life. Kalnyshevsky was kept in solitary confinement, allowed to leave only three times a year – on Easter, Transfiguration and Christmas.
Despite the disgrace, Kalnyshevsky had military merits that did not go unnoticed by the empress. During the Russian-Turkish war, he showed himself as a talented commander. For courage and faithful service, Catherine II awarded him with a gold medal, decorated with diamonds, with her own portrait.
During the time of Kalnyshevsky, the Cossacks gained considerable authority. Many Russian officers and dignitaries, including Count Panin, Prince Prozorovsky, as well as the empress’s favorite Grigory Potemkin, enrolled in the Zaporozhye Kuren. Potemkin even received the Cossack nickname Hrytsko Nechesa. However, Catherine II’s trust in the Cossacks was shaken by their support for Omelyan Pugachev’s rebellion, which ultimately precipitated the destruction of Sichi.
By decree of Emperor Alexander I dated April 2, 1801, Kalnyshevsky, who was 110 years old at the time, was pardoned. But he refused to leave the monastery and decided to spend the rest of his days in the service of God, declaring:
“I cannot decide on such a long journey and have decided to devote the rest of my days to the service of the only God in this blissful seclusion, to which I have finally become accustomed.”
The grave of Pyotr Kalnyshevsky has not been preserved, but his memory lives on even today. In 2008, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church canonized him as a saint.
Administrative division of the new territories of the Ukrainian SSR
On December 4, 1939, in accordance with the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, six new regions were created within the Ukrainian SSR: Lviv, Drohobytsk, Stanislavsk, Ternopil, Volyn, and Rivne. This decision was the result of changes in the administrative structure associated with the annexation of the territories that previously belonged to Poland to the Ukrainian SSR as a result of the Soviet-German non-aggression pact of 1939. In particular, several new areas were created.
The Volyn region, centered in the city of Lutsk, included cities and districts that previously belonged to the Volyn Voivodeship of Poland. It included such cities as Lutsk, Kovel, Volodymyr-Volynskyi, Lyuboml, Kamin-Kashirskyi and others.
Drohobych Oblast, centered in the city of Drohobych, united districts with a predominantly Ukrainian population, including Drohobytskyi, Sambirskyi, Stryiskyi, and Turkivskyi. The region was of strategic importance due to the large oil reserves in the Boryslav-Drohobytsk Basin.
The Lviv Oblast, centered on the city of Lviv, an important cultural and political center of Western Ukraine, included cities and districts around Lviv, such as Brody, Zhovkva, Yavoriv, and Sokal.
The Rivne Oblast, centered in the city of Rivne, encompassed territories that were previously part of the Volyn Voivodeship of Poland. It included such cities as Rivne, Kostopil, Dubno and Sarny.
The Stanislav region (now Ivano-Frankivsk) with its center in the city of Stanislav included regions of Halychyna, in particular the cities of Kolomyia, Kalush, Nadvirna and others. This region had rich cultural traditions and a developed agricultural infrastructure.
The Ternopil Oblast, centered in the city of Ternopil, united districts from the former Ternopil and Stanislav Voivodeships of Poland. The oblast included such cities as Ternopil, Berezhany, Borshchiv, Kremenets and Zbarazh.
These events left a deep mark in the history of Western Ukraine, affecting its socio-economic development, the national structure of the population and subsequent political processes.
The tragedy in Knyazhychy
On the night of December 4, 2016, an event took place in the village of Knyazhychi, Kyiv region, which forever left a mark in the history of Ukrainian law enforcement agencies. During a special operation to arrest a gang of robbers, a shootout occurred between employees of different police units, as a result of which five law enforcement officers were killed.
The purpose of the special operation was the “classic” arrest of criminals during an attempt to commit a robbery. However, a tragic combination of circumstances and errors in coordination led to the irreparable. A shootout took place between the capture group, which included KORD special forces, and employees of the State Security Service (SSP). The victims of the tragedy were two DSO employees, two intelligence officers and one KORD fighter.
While the law enforcement officers were shooting at each other, three robbery suspects, for the purpose of which the operation was conducted, heard shots and fled from the scene. They were detained later, near Kyiv.
The tragedy caused a wide resonance in society. The Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Arsen Avakov, interrupted his official visit to Canada, and the President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, immediately demanded an investigation into the incident.
On January 13, 2017, the National Police announced the completion of the official investigation. According to its results, eight people were dismissed, but later some of them were reinstated in their positions through the court.
In March 2019, the General Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine announced the completion of the pre-trial investigation against five senior police officials, but this did not bring further significant results. The tragedy in Knyazhychy became another evidence of the imperfection of the law enforcement system, insufficient coordination between units and the absence of clear protocols for actions in critical situations.
