The Day of Missile Forces and Artillery will be officially celebrated in Ukraine on 4 December

From now on, the Day of Missile Forces and Artillery in Ukraine will be celebrated on 4 December instead of 3 November. This is stated in the Presidential Decree.

‘Honouring the courage and heroism of the soldiers of the Missile Forces and Artillery displayed in the struggle for freedom, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, as well as in order to establish new military traditions, I hereby decree to establish the Day of the Missile Forces and Artillery in Ukraine, which shall be celebrated annually on 4 December,’ the document says.

It is also noted that the previous decree of 1997, which set the date of the celebration on 3 November, is no longer in force.

The decree comes into force from the moment of its publication. President Zelensky signed the document on 2 November.

At the same time, the General Staff explained that the new date, 4 December, was chosen in honour of St Barbara’s Day. The initiative came from the Missile and Artillery Command, as the previous date, 3 November, was associated with the events of World War II and the Soviet legacy.

‘The launch of the celebration on 4 December, St Barbara’s Day, today is in line with the spirit and essence of the heroic soldiers of the missile and artillery forces who defend our freedom and independence in the fight against the Russian occupiers,’ the General Staff stressed.

In the European tradition, St Barbara is the patron saint of artillerymen. In Ukrainian Christian culture, she is revered as one of the most famous saints. In her life story, there is a mention of an incident with lightning and thunder, which symbolise the destructive power of artillery.

According to legend, Barbara was the daughter of a wealthy pagan named Dioscorus, who, after her conversion to Christianity, had his daughter executed himself. However, immediately afterwards, he was struck by lightning and died. Since then, lightning and thunder have become symbols of St Barbara’s protection for all those who work with explosives and powerful weapons, and artillerymen have chosen her as their patron saint.

St Barbara has been revered in Ukraine for a long time. According to legend, in 1108, her relics were brought to Ukraine by the wife of Kyivan Prince Sviatopolk, who also bore the name Barbara.

The tradition of honouring St Barbara as the patron saint of artillerymen also exists in the armed forces of many countries, including Spain, France, Poland and the United States.