14 January - Defender of the Motherland Day in Uzbekistan

 

Defender of the Motherland Day in Uzbekistan is celebrated on January 14th. This day honors the bravery and dedication of the Armed Forces of Uzbekistan, as well as the contributions of individuals who have served in the defense of the country.

On 14 January 1992, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan was established. This is considered to be the official holiday of the Armed Forces. Before this, Uzbekistan as part of the Soviet Union recognized Soviet Army and Navy Day as the armed forces official holiday. Following the fall of the USSR, some former republics of the Soviet Union such as, Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan continued to celebrate Soviet Army and Navy Day as Defender of the Fatherland Day. On 29 December 1993 the Uzbek Parliament established the Day of Defenders of Motherland to commemorate the anniversary of the establishment of the country's armed forces in 1992.