Today, October 14, is the Day of Ukraine's Defender.
The national holiday was set by decree of President Petro Poroshenko of October 14, 2014.
The choice of the date for the holiday was predetermined by the historical tradition of honoring the Ukrainian troops for the Christian holiday of Protection of Virgin Mary. October 14 is also the date of the establishment of UPA [Ukrainian Insurgent Army] and the Day of Ukrainian Cossacks.
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This autumn, 10,500 young men will be recruited into the army. In 2017, Ukraine's army entered the top 30 best armies in the world.