During the era of the Soviet Union, it was called Red Army Day or the Day of the Soviet Army and Navy.

In 1918, just after the German had invaded and captured Minsk, the Soviets declared a state of emergency and called for a draft in St. Petersburg. As a result, ten thousand people signed up on February 23rd 1918. 

The day was first celebrated in Moscow as “Day of the Birth of the Red Army” in 1922.

It was made an official holiday in 1923 under the name “Day of the Red Army.” 

After the Second World War, the name changed again in 1946 to Day of the Soviet Army and Navy.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the holiday’s name was changed several times. In 1995, it became known as the “Day of Victory of the Red Army over the Kaiser troops of Germany (1918) – the Day of the Fatherland Defenders.” Since 2006, it has officially been “Defender of the Fatherland Day”.