"St Nicholas brings Armed Forces to us": Ukrainian celebrate two holidays and congratulate defenders

Ukrainians celebrate the Day of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on 6 December. 

For the first time since 1991, this day is also St Nicholas Day (according to the Revised Julian calendar, which was adopted by the Orthodox Church of Ukraine).

The Directorate of Strategic Communications (StratCom) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the General Staff have congratulated Ukrainians on the Day of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and St Nicholas Day by posting a touching video greeting.

The video was created by Ukrainian companies and artists on a voluntary basis.

"This year, for the first time, Ukrainians celebrate two holidays at once, the Day of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and St Nicholas Day. This fact inspired the creators of the video to create a warm and kind story, in which children thank their relatives who are defenders and ask them to protect our common home, Ukraine, and, of course, St Nicholas to bring presents," StratCom writes.

The 12th Army Aviation Brigade named after Major General Viktor Pavlenko also posted a video greeting on the Day of the Armed Forces of Ukraine "from St Nicholas" on Facebook.

"St Nicholas will bring special gifts to the invaders on the Day of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and the birds of the army aviation will help him in this," they said.

Volunteer Ihor Lachenkov also congratulated the soldiers on the holiday:

"Today is the day of the best people. The Day of the Unbreakable, the Day of the Steel, the Day of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. We would no longer exist if it wasn't for them. I have said it before and I will say it again. There is no us without them. They are all we have now and all we have been relying on for the past ten years. Everything that separates us from the hell they took on themselves, going there instead of us. And they are still there. Each one individually, in their own hell, with their own pain. Hundreds of thousands of brave Ukrainians who had the courage to stand to the end."

He called on Ukrainians to do everything they can to make it easier for the military to fight.

"We rely on them, but they need us in order to keep fighting. Please do not hesitate to congratulate every soldier and serviceman today, thank them and ask how you can help," Lachenkov added.

Artist Nikita Titov congratulated Ukrainians on the two holidays with new illustrations.

"Friends, hugs and thanks! Glory to the Armed Forces!", he wrote.

Journalist Nataliia Bushkovska congratulated the Armed Forces and reiterated that it is thanks to the military that children can celebrate St Nicholas Day.

"With all my love for St Nicholas, today is the day of those who make real miracles. It is the Day of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Thank you to everyone who protects me and my children! May all your strength be with you. 

Never, never forget who makes it possible for our children to enjoy the winter holidays here in Ukraine. Despite all the forecasts, all the hypotheses and all the despondency, I know that we will survive... But we have to help this miracle happen. Even in fairy tales, nothing happens without human effort and will," Nataliia wrote.

"Saint Nicholas brought us the Armed Forces of Ukraine under our pillows! Glory to them! Thank you," added Khrystyna Holovko, creative manager of the Ukrainiska Pravda native advertisement department.

And this festive "postcard" from artificial intelligence was posted by soldier Vadim IV Anatoliyovych.

"Two dates coincided. Children's favourite holiday is St Nicholas Day and those who make it possible for St Nicholas to visit our children, not [Soviet-created] Did Moroz.

One social philosopher said that ‘we must ensure the existence of our people and the future for our children’. That is why the best gift for children today is to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which are the only guarantor of the future of Ukrainian children. Happy holiday!", Vadym wrote.

The military was also thanked a lot on Twitter.

"Today, St Nicholas is walking around Ukraine only thanks to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, because [otherwise,] it would have been Did Moroz on 31 December," wrote a user with the Housepainter nickname. 

"The holiday is coming! This is how St Nicholas looks like this year! Thanks to the Armed Forces for another day," Lara-Lara added.

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi congratulated the Ukrainian Armed Forces in a touching way.

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