ArmInfo. The Defender of the Fatherland Day has been marked for a long time and it has good traditions, Russian Ambassador to Armenia Ivan Volynkin told reporters in Victory Park when laying flowers and wreaths at the Eternal Flame on Feb 23.
"Earlier this holiday was marked as the Day of Soviet Army and Navy and Armenia and Russia were states of the Soviet Union. Many of the servicemen of those times served in the Soviet Army and naturally they keep celebrating this holiday," he said, congratulating all servicemen on this remarkable holiday and all the veterans who made a huge contribution to our peaceful future.
On Feb 22, the Russian Embassy in Armenia held a reception on the occasion of the Defender of the Fatherland Day. "Russia has no aggressive goals or imperial ambitions. We are not going to threaten anyone, but the combatability of the army and the navy is an important factor of national security and a necessary condition for peaceful development of the country," Ambassador Volynkin said.
For his part, Armenian Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan also congratulated the participants on Feb 23 and stressed that this holiday has its worthy place among the most remarkable days of military glory. "The Russian Armed Forces remain a reliable basis of the state, ensuring its military security, independence and territorial integrity. I am sure that the close cooperation of the two countries in ensuring security will remain strong and fruitful," he said.
The employees of the Embassy performed songs in Armenian and Russian.