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Russian defense ministry officials lay wreath at Tomb of Unknown Soldier

The participants of the ceremony held a minute of silence in honor of the fallen soldiers

MOSCOW, February 23. /TASS/. Employees of the Russian Defense Ministry and Chief of Russia’s General Staff Valery Gerasimov have laid a wreath at the Tomb of Unknown Soldier in Moscow in honor of the fallen defenders of the Fatherland, the ministry informed on Saturday.

"Today, officials of the Russian Defense Ministry have laid flowers and wreaths to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier near the Kremlin Wall in the Alexander Garden. The leadership of the Russian Armed Forces took part in the ceremony, including members of the Russian Defense Ministry leadership and veterans," the ministry informed.

The participants of the ceremony held a minute of silence in honor of the fallen soldiers.

February 23 marks Defender of the Fatherland Day in Russia.

On Defender of the Fatherland Day, various ceremonies involving veterans are usually held, which among other things include laying flowers at war memorials. At night, celebratory gunfire and fireworks take place in Hero Cities (a Soviet honorary title awarded for outstanding heroism during World War II to 12 USSR cities and the Brest Fortress) and municipalities hosting the headquarters of district military commands, fleets and all-arms armies. The holiday is meant to honor military servicemen but it actually celebrates men on the whole, regardless of their age and profession.

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