July 6 is celebrated in Ukraine as the Day of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Day of the Sea and River Fleet Workers, and in the world – World Cardiologist Day and the Birthday of the American Dollar. Also, on this day, in different eras, events took place that left a mark in politics, religion, science, culture, and law.
Day of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
This is a professional holiday of servicemen and civilian personnel who ensure the functioning of the Armed Forces Navy — one of the key components of Ukrainian defense capability, especially in wartime conditions. The holiday was established in 2015 by Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 331/2015 and is celebrated on the first Sunday of July.
Today, the Naval Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces include not only surface ships, but also marines, aviation, coastal units, combat command centers and special forces. All of them take part in deterring Russian aggression — in particular, in the Black and Azov seas, in the coastal areas of the Mykolaiv, Odesa, and Kherson regions.
A special role is played by Ukrainian naval drones, which over the past year have become a key tool for defeating the ships of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation. The Navy also participates in demining water areas and escorting ships within the “grain corridor”.
Interesting facts
In the first days of the annexation of Crimea (February–March 2014), the majority of Ukrainian ships were based there. Some were blocked or captured, but several units, such as “Slavutich” and “Kostyantyn Olshanskyi”, resisted and became symbols of resistance.
After the annexation of Crimea, the Ukrainian corvette “Vinnytsia” stood in dry dock in Sevastopol. Russia handed it over to Ukraine in a semi-dismantled state, after which the ship was decommissioned.
In 2023-2024, for the first time in the world, Ukrainian naval drones demonstrated their effective use against large warships. In particular, it was drones that struck cruisers, missile ships and even submarines of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation.
The Marine Corps of Ukraine is considered one of the most combative components of the Armed Forces. It was she who took part in the most difficult battles – in Vugledar, in Donetsk region, during the defense of Mariupol. The 36th Marine Brigade became one of the symbols of the defense of Azovstal.
The Navy has military divers who work at depths of up to 60 meters, demining water areas, searching for shipwrecks, carrying out repairs under water – this is one of the most difficult and risky specialties.
The Admiral Makarov National Shipbuilding University operates in Mykolaiv, which, despite constant shelling, continues to train specialists for the naval sector.
Ukraine has become one of the few countries that have combat experience against the fleet of a much more powerful enemy, without formal dominance at sea, but with active defensive and strike activity.
Day of workers of the sea and river fleet of Ukraine
This holiday is celebrated every year on the first Sunday of July, it was established by Presidential Decree No. 332/2015 of June 12, 2015, immediately after Ukraine abandoned Soviet dates and symbols in the field of maritime policy and professional holidays. This day is dedicated to everyone who works in the field of sea and river transport – from captains to mechanics, dispatchers, pilots, port workers and engineers.
The decree declared that the holiday is designed to “revive and develop the national historical traditions of the maritime community.” It is not only about the profession, but also about the recognition of the strategic importance of the fleet for the economy, logistics, river shipping and sea transportation. It is this sphere that connects the regions of Ukraine and connects the state with the ports of the world.
In peacetime, sea and river transport played an important role in trade, the supply of grain, metal, oil and other goods. During the war, sea and river routes became an arena of danger, but they also remain channels of strategic importance. Some ports are blocked, ships are forced to change routes, and fleet workers work under constant threat. Despite this, the maritime community continues its work.
Interesting facts
In 2022-2023, Ukraine established an alternative “grain corridor” without the participation of Russia, which became a unique example of civilian navigation in the conditions of a military conflict.
The port of Reni on the Danube became one of the key export points after the blockade of the main seaports. In 2023, the river fleet on the Danube transshipped a record volume of cargo — more than 30 million tons.
Several specialized educational institutions operate in Ukraine, in particular, the Danube Institute of the National University “Odesa Maritime Academy”, which trains specialists for the river and sea fleet.
In peacetime, sea transport provided up to 60% of grain exports from Ukraine. After the outbreak of full-scale war, this figure decreased, but shipping is gradually recovering.
Ukrainian crews working on foreign vessels have a high reputation in the global maritime industry. Before the war, more than 75 thousand Ukrainians worked in the international merchant fleet.
In 2023, for the first time, Ukrainian river barges with grain were converted to transport armored vehicles on short stretches of rivers in the frontline regions.
Part of the port infrastructure in Mykolaiv, Kherson, and Mariupol was destroyed as a result of shelling, but the navy workers were able to evacuate some of the equipment and paperwork in the first days of the war.
World Cardiologist Day
This is an unofficial professional holiday that gained popularity in 2021 thanks to social media. Its goal is to draw attention to the problems of cardiovascular diseases, which are one of the leading causes of death in the world.
Cardiology as a science has a long history. In ancient Egypt, around the 17th century BC, there were already documents describing the treatment of the heart. During the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci conducted anatomical studies of the heart, which became the basis for the further development of cardiology. In the 17th century, the English doctor William Harvey proved the existence of blood circulation and calculated the speed of blood flow. Since the beginning of the 19th century, cardiology has been developing as an independent practical discipline.
Today, cardiovascular diseases remain the most common in the world, claiming about 17 million human lives annually. In Ukraine, these diseases are the main cause of population mortality.
Interesting facts
The word “cardiology” appeared officially in the 19th century. The first medical textbook in this field was printed in Paris in 1836.
The first description of blood circulation was made by the English doctor William Harvey in 1628. He proved that the heart is a pump that pumps blood in a closed circle. Before that, it was believed that blood is formed in the liver and “absorbed” by the organs.
3The first electrocardiogram (ECG) was recorded in 1887 by the British physiologist Augustus Waller, using a live frog. 15 years later, Willem Einthoven created a device for recording the ECG in humans – for this he received the Nobel Prize in 1924.
The first successful open-heart surgery was performed in 1953 in the USA. The patient was an 18-year-old girl with a congenital defect of the septum between the atria.
The terms “myocardial infarction” and “ischemic heart disease” entered clinical practice only in the middle of the 20th century. Prior to that, heart attacks were often confused with “chest frog” (so called angina pectoris).
For the first time in history, a pacemaker was installed in a patient in 1958 in Sweden. It worked for a few hours, but the patient received several replacements — and lived with the device for 43 years.
The oldest patient who successfully underwent coronary artery bypass grafting was 103 years old. The operation took place in 2017 in Japan.
Ukraine has its own school of cardiac surgery. One of its symbols is Academician Mykola Amosov, a pioneer of cardiac surgery in the USSR, who in 1962 was the first in the country to perform heart surgery using an artificial blood circulation device.
The heart does not stop during most heart surgeries. They often work on a “living” heart, and if it is necessary to stop, the patient is cooled to reduce metabolism.
In modern cardiology, artificial intelligence already helps to read ECGs and detect rhythmological disorders more accurately than some experienced doctors. The most successful models underwent clinical testing in 2020–2023.
The birthday of the American dollar
The date of birth of the American dollar is considered to be July 6, on this day in 1785, the US Congress decided to introduce the dollar as the national currency of the United States. It was an important step towards the financial independence of the new state, which had just won its freedom from the British Empire.
The Continental Congress, active at the time, formally voted to introduce the dollar as the official currency of the United States. This made the United States the first country in the world to introduce a decimal system of monetary units – one dollar was equal to 100 cents. Previously, colonial currencies, pounds, pesos, Spanish “dollars” (pieces of eight) and other foreign money were in circulation. However, the first paper dollars in the form of banknotes appeared later – in the era of the Civil War, in 1861. Prior to that, mostly coins and banknotes of private banks were used.
Interesting facts
The name “dollar” comes from the word “thaler” – a silver coin that circulated in Europe from the 16th century. The Americans adopted this name, adapting it to the English language.
The dollar symbol ($) originated even before its official approval – probably from the designation “Ps” (peso), which gradually evolved into a one-line or two-line symbol.
For the first time, the portrait of George Washington appeared on the one-dollar bill in 1869, but the final modern look of the banknote did not take place until 1963.
The Federal Reserve System, which today controls the issuance of the dollar, appeared in 1913. Before that, banknotes were printed under the control of different banks and had different values.
In the 20th century, the dollar gradually replaced the British pound as the world’s main reserve currency. Especially after the Second World War, when the USA became the leading economic power.
All dollars with the inscription “In God We Trust” began to be printed only in 1957.
Despite the advent of digital transactions, the cash dollar remains one of the most recognizable currencies, with more than $2 trillion in paper form in 2024.
Historical events on this day
1253 — the first coronation in the history of the state took place in Lithuania: Prince Mindovga was officially proclaimed king. It was an attempt to integrate Lithuania into the European Christian environment and strengthen its political status.
1415 — in the city of Konstanz, the Czech reformer Jan Hus was burned at the stake in the church cathedral. He was declared a heretic because of his criticism of the Catholic Church, but the execution became a catalyst for religious uprisings in the Czech Republic.
1439 — in Florence, Pope Eugene IV and Byzantine Emperor John VIII Palaeologus signed the Florentine Union. This document became an attempt to unite the Orthodox and Catholic churches and later influenced the formation of the Greek Catholic tradition.
1483 – in London, Richard III ascended the throne of England – the last king from the York dynasty, whose reign became one of the most controversial in British history.
1535 — Thomas More, English humanist, author of “Utopia” and former Lord Chancellor, was executed in the Tower. He refused to recognize Henry VIII as head of the Church of England, for which he was convicted of high treason. He was later canonized by the Catholic Church.
1687 – “Philosophiae naturalis principia mathematica” by Isaac Newton was published. In this work, the foundations of classical mechanics were laid out, the laws of motion and gravitation were formulated – this became a turning point in the development of science.
1785 — The US Congress decided to make the dollar the country’s official currency. It was the first national currency based on the decimal system, which gradually became the leading one in the world.
1809 — on Napoleon’s order, French troops broke into the Vatican, arrested Pope Pius VII and took him to the French city of Grenoble. This became a continuation of the conflict between Napoleon and the Holy See.
1938 — an international conference on refugees from Nazi Germany opened in the French city of Evian. Representatives of more than 30 countries have discussed the possibility of providing them with asylum, but no state has committed itself. The meeting ended without results, which proved the inaction of the international community in the face of Nazism.
1957 — 16-year-old John Lennon and 15-year-old Paul McCartney met for the first time in the suburbs of Liverpool during a parish holiday. This event marked the beginning of the history of The Beatles.
1958 — the Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy of the Ukrainian SSR (VDNG), which was supposed to demonstrate the industrial, agrarian and scientific power of Soviet Ukraine, was opened in Kyiv. Today it exists as a National Expo Center.
1994 — the premiere of the film “Forrest Gump” with Tom Hanks in the lead role took place in the USA. The film won six Oscars and became a cultural phenomenon.
2005 — The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the Code of Administrative Procedure, which became key to the development of an independent system for resolving public disputes between citizens and authorities.
