September 19 Arms Maker Day Celebrated in Russia
September 19 in Russia is celebrating Gunsmith Day - a professional holiday for workers of the Russian defense industry. The holiday is celebrated in our country every year, starting with the 2012 year. The decree “On the Establishment of the Gunsmith Day” was signed by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on December 3 2011. September 19 was chosen as the date of the holiday in honor of the Orthodox Church honoring Archangel Michael, who is considered the patron saint of the heavenly host.
The man, as he remembers himself, always used this or that weapon: originally they were primitive sticks, later stone axes and first bows. With the advent and spread of the art of metalworking, such a profession as a gunsmith appeared. With each new year, with each century, these experts improved the models of manufactured weapons. Currently, weapons produced in Russia are considered to be one of the best in the world. It is those people who today, relying on the age-old traditions and the most modern technologies, are engaged in its design and production, and this professional holiday is dedicated in Russia.
The man, as he remembers himself, always used this or that weapon: originally they were primitive sticks, later stone axes and first bows. With the advent and spread of the art of metalworking, such a profession as a gunsmith appeared. With each new year, with each century, these experts improved the models of manufactured weapons. Currently, weapons produced in Russia are considered to be one of the best in the world. It is those people who today, relying on the age-old traditions and the most modern technologies, are engaged in its design and production, and this professional holiday is dedicated in Russia.
Two factors played a decisive role in choosing a date for celebrating Armory Day in our country. IN historical A certificate of a possible date for the celebration of the Armory Day, which was prepared by the Moscow Kremlin museum complex, indicates that in the 1508th-19th centuries the largest place for the production and storage of weapons in our country was the Armory of the Moscow Kremlin. But the exact date of the formation of this chamber is unknown. According to the documents that have been preserved to this day, it can be established that it already existed at the beginning of the 21th century. In the documents of those years, it was called “arms”, which emphasized that all the property and the building itself were under the jurisdiction of a special person, a court official - a gunsmith. His immediate responsibilities included the storage of all the grand-ducal weapons, as well as the organization of production and the purchase of weapons, the subsequent distribution of weapons to the regiments. The post of the armsman was first mentioned in sources that have survived to this day, in September 19. So the month was determined for the establishment of a new holiday. In turn, in the city of gunsmiths - Izhevsk, starting from the XNUMXth century, Archangel Michael, the patron saint of the heavenly army, is revered as the patron saint of gunsmiths; his day is celebrated on September XNUMX and November XNUMX. Thus, the final choice was made for the date of celebration of the Day of the gunsmith - September XNUMX.
In the most logical way, the Day of the gunsmith in Russia owes its appearance to one of the most famous Russian gunsmiths of the 20th century. The name of this person is known today not only in our country, but throughout the world, and this person is Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov, who became famous throughout the world as the creator of the legendary AK-47 submachine gun. 25 May 2010, Vladimir Putin, who at the time was prime minister of Russia, visited the capital of Udmurtia, making a tour of the defense enterprise Izhmash as part of the trip. During this excursion, Mikhail Kalashnikov turned to Putin with the request to establish a new holiday in Russia - the Gunsmith Day. This request of the legendary designer was supported by the Union of Russian gunsmiths. As a result, the decision to establish a new professional holiday in our country was made taking into account the significant role of the creators of Russian weapons in ensuring the preservation of the defense capability and independence of our Motherland, the export potential of the state and the prestige of the Russian Federation throughout the world.
In the most logical way, the Day of the gunsmith in Russia owes its appearance to one of the most famous Russian gunsmiths of the 20th century. The name of this person is known today not only in our country, but throughout the world, and this person is Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov, who became famous throughout the world as the creator of the legendary AK-47 submachine gun. 25 May 2010, Vladimir Putin, who at the time was prime minister of Russia, visited the capital of Udmurtia, making a tour of the defense enterprise Izhmash as part of the trip. During this excursion, Mikhail Kalashnikov turned to Putin with the request to establish a new holiday in Russia - the Gunsmith Day. This request of the legendary designer was supported by the Union of Russian gunsmiths. As a result, the decision to establish a new professional holiday in our country was made taking into account the significant role of the creators of Russian weapons in ensuring the preservation of the defense capability and independence of our Motherland, the export potential of the state and the prestige of the Russian Federation throughout the world.
Currently, the Russian arms industry is dozens of enterprises throughout the country whose products are highly valued on the world market. At the same time, the production of weapons in the Russian Federation keeps pace with the times. Russia not only keeps up with the leading manufacturers of weapons on the planet, but in some categories is ahead of them, some Russian weapons simply have no analogues in the world. Confirmation of the high quality and characteristics of Russian weapons are the volumes of their supplies to other countries. In the 2015 year alone, according to estimates by the Russian Center for the Analysis of the World Trade in Arms (TsAMTO), our country exported conventional weapons worth 13,944 billion dollars - 15% of total global supply in monetary terms and approximately 25% of the global arms market in physical terms .
That is why Armsman Day is an extremely important and significant event for our entire large country and, of course, for all employees of numerous enterprises of the military-industrial complex (MIC) of Russia, developers of domestic weapons, specialists working in the field of the history of weapons and their development in Russia, studying the traditions of Russian weapons and the achievements of our gunsmiths of the past and present. This holiday is annually celebrated in many cities of Russia, in which defense industry enterprises operate. But the greatest joy the appearance of this holiday brought, of course, to residents of two cities - Izhevsk - the birthplace of the legendary AK-47 assault rifle and Tula - a city that for several centuries has been famous for its rich weapons traditions. A gunsmith day in these two cities is usually accompanied by a large number of planned holiday events.
That is why Armsman Day is an extremely important and significant event for our entire large country and, of course, for all employees of numerous enterprises of the military-industrial complex (MIC) of Russia, developers of domestic weapons, specialists working in the field of the history of weapons and their development in Russia, studying the traditions of Russian weapons and the achievements of our gunsmiths of the past and present. This holiday is annually celebrated in many cities of Russia, in which defense industry enterprises operate. But the greatest joy the appearance of this holiday brought, of course, to residents of two cities - Izhevsk - the birthplace of the legendary AK-47 assault rifle and Tula - a city that for several centuries has been famous for its rich weapons traditions. A gunsmith day in these two cities is usually accompanied by a large number of planned holiday events.
Monument to Izhevsk gunsmiths
Based on materials from open sources
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