Engineering Troops Day 2020 is celebrated in Russia on January 21. Servicemen and workers of this kind of troops participate in the festive events: engineers, sappers, miners, divers and others. Former employees, cadets of specialized specialties of universities of the Ministry of Defense join the celebrations.

The date of the event has a symbolic meaning. On January 21, 1701, Peter the Great established in Moscow the "School of the Pushkarsky Order" for the training of military engineers. Its graduates began to staff the miner units of the army. In 1712, the tsar ordered to separate the engineering school from it and increase it. In 1719, a similar educational institution opened in St. Petersburg. In 1723, these two institutions merged into one - the St. Petersburg Engineering School. In 1722, Peter I issued a Table of Ranks, in which officers of the engineering troops were placed above the rank of cavalry and infantry officers.

Holiday traditions

On this day, the President of the Russian Federation thanks the soldiers, officers and veterans of the engineering troops for their courage, loyalty to duty and conscientious service. The best specialists receive extraordinary titles, awards, orders, the title of Hero of Russia. Demonstration performances are held. Celebratory concerts are being arranged. On the air of television and radio, programs are broadcast about the exploits of employees of this type of troops. Veterans share stories from their service.

About the profession of employees of the engineering troops

Servicemen of the engineering troops march at the same time or ahead of motorized rifle and tank formations. They erect defensive structures, buildings for the sheltered use of guns, arrange pontoon crossings, build bridges, mine, clear and mask territories and objects, and carry out engineering reconnaissance of the enemy. In peacetime, they destroy the ammunition left over from the great warriors, participate in the elimination of emergencies, the consequences of accidents and disasters, and provide assistance to the population.

Servicemen of the engineering troops in the 18th-19th centuries were called Pioneers.

665 employees of these formations were awarded the title of Hero Soviet Union.

M. Kutuzov began his service in the engineering troops.

The heavenly patron of the engineering troops of Russia is the holy noble Prince Daniel of Moscow.

Engineering troops - those who are responsible for the construction of defensive structures, bridges, pontoon crossings. It is these people who are engaged in the clearance of areas and the construction of structures for the hidden use of weapons. They do not remain unused even in peacetime - their list of tasks includes the fight against the consequences of emergencies. These troops also have a professional holiday, which is celebrated on January 21. All those involved join the celebrations: sappers, divers, engineers and others.

history of the holiday

The holiday was established by the president Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin in 1996. The date of the event was tied to another good idea of ​​Tsar Peter the Great - he decided in the distant 1701 to establish in the capital the "School of the Pushkarsky Prikaz", where engineers and artillerymen were trained. It was from its graduates that the first divisions of miners in the country consisted. After 11 years, Peter decided to separate the engineers from the artillerymen and pay more attention to their training, and in 1719 he ordered the creation of the St. Petersburg Engineering School.

The emperor found the new troops valuable and tried in every possible way to increase their prestige. This will bear fruit - it is from the school established by Peter that Mikhail Kutuzov will graduate in half a century. Since then, these soldiers have taken part in all military operations in Russia. Their actions were highly appreciated during the Second World War; the fighters repeatedly showed themselves to be brave even after.

Engineering troops took an active part in the battles to defend the Motherland. Thanks to the knowledge, courage and bravery of combat engineers, it is possible to assert the fact of the successful conduct of hostilities within the framework of Patriotic War s in 1812, the defense of Sevastopol in 1854-1855, Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905 and both world wars. In 2006, the head of state added the date to the list of memorable days.

On January 21, workers and servicemen of the engineering troops of Russia celebrate their professional holiday. This memorable date v Armed Forces RF - Day of Engineering Troops - established by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 1370 of September 18, 1996, taking into account their contribution to the development of the country's defense potential and historical traditions. The engineering troops trace their history back to the time of the Decree of Peter I of January 21, 1701 on the creation of the "School of the Pushkarsky Prikaz" in Moscow.

This school trained artillery officers and military engineers. Graduates of the "School of Pushkarsky Prikaz" since 1702 began to recruit the first miner divisions of the regular Russian army... In 1712, Peter I ordered to separate the engineering school from the school of the Pushkarsk order and expand it. Following his decree, the St. Petersburg Engineering School was created. And after 4 years, the Moscow school was transferred to St. Petersburg and merged with the St. Petersburg one.

These schools trained non-commissioned and chief officers of the engineering troops. To increase the attractiveness of these schools and to increase the importance of the engineering troops, Peter I in his Table of Ranks in 1722 numbered the officers of the engineering troops one rank higher than the officers of the infantry and cavalry. The central authority engineering troops was the Office of the main artillery and fortification.

In 1753, engineer-general Abram Petrovich Hannibal, the famous "Arap of Peter the Great", great-grandfather of A.S. Pushkin. Engineering troops took part in all battles to defend the Fatherland. The knowledge, courage and courage of military engineers greatly contributed to the successful conduct of hostilities in the Patriotic War of 1812, during the defense of Sevastopol (1854–1855), during the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905) and two world wars. The soldiers of the engineering troops especially distinguished themselves during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. For deeds in the glory of the Motherland, more than 100 thousand servicemen of the engineering troops were awarded orders and medals, about 700 were awarded the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union and Hero of Russia, 294 steel full gentlemen Order of Glory. Engineering troops are special troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, designed to perform the most difficult tasks of engineering support for combined arms operations (Photo: mil.ru) important role in ensuring military operations of troops in Afghanistan, in resolving conflicts in the Republic of Tajikistan, the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova, Abkhazia, peacekeeping operations in Bosnia, Herzegovina and Kosovo.

And today they continue the glorious fighting traditions of previous generations, honorably fulfilling their tasks.

At present, the Engineering Troops of Russia are special troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, designed to perform the most difficult tasks of engineering support for combined arms operations (combat operations), requiring special training of personnel and the use of engineering weapons, as well as for inflicting losses on the enemy through the use of engineering ammunition ...

The engineering troops include: engineering reconnaissance, engineer-sapper, road engineering, pontoon and other units, and specialists for engineering troops in Russia are trained by the Military Engineering University, formed on September 1, 1998 on the basis of the V. V. Kuibyshev.

Established by the decree of the President of the Russian Federation of September 18, 1996. By the decree of the President of the Russian Federation of May 31, 2006 "On the Establishment of Professional Holidays and Memorable Days in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation", Engineering Troops Day was referred to as memorable days of the Russian Federation.

Engineering troops are special troops designed to perform the most complex tasks of engineering support for combat operations, requiring special training of personnel and the use of engineering weapons, as well as to inflict losses on the enemy through the use of engineering ammunition. Organizationally, they consist of formations, units and subunits for various purposes: engineering and reconnaissance, engineering and sapper, barriers, barriers, assault, road engineering, pontoon-bridge (pontoon), transfer and landing, engineering camouflage, engineering, field water supply and others.

Engineering troops carry out engineering reconnaissance of the enemy, terrain and objects; erection of fortifications (trenches, trenches and communication routes, shelters, dugouts, shelters, etc.) and the device of field structures for the deployment of troops (residential, economic, medical); installation of engineering barriers, including the installation of minefields, blasting operations, equipment of non-explosive barriers (anti-tank ditches, escarpments (anti-tank earthen barriers), counter-escarps, nadolbov, etc.); demining of terrain and objects; preparation and maintenance of troop movement routes; equipment and maintenance of crossings on water obstacles, including the construction of bridges; extraction and purification of water in the field, etc.

In addition, they participate in countering the enemy's reconnaissance and targeting systems (camouflage), imitation of troops and objects, providing disinformation and demonstrative actions to deceive the enemy, as well as in eliminating the consequences of the enemy's use of weapons of mass destruction.

In peacetime, engineering troops perform a number of important socially significant tasks: they clear the area of ​​explosive objects, participate in the elimination of the consequences of man-made accidents and disasters, natural disasters, prevent the destruction of bridges and hydraulic structures during ice drifts, etc.

The need for military engineering troops arose in antiquity - first to equip simple field fortifications, then fortresses and perform other engineering tasks. The date of creation of the engineering troops in Russia is considered to be January 21 (January 10 according to the old style), 1701, when Peter I issued a decree on the creation of the first engineering school. In the same year, on May 25 (May 14, old style), he signed a decree on the formation of the first engineering units, which were initially represented by the mine company, engineering and pontoon teams.

As military affairs developed, new engineering units were created. By the early 1870s, there was a tendency in the Russian army to unite all technical means within the framework of the engineering troops.

This led to the fact that at different times they included railway and electrical battalions, telegraph companies, aeronautical squads, automobile detachments and armored forces, which later became independent types and branches of the military.

Warriors of the engineering troops of Russia took part in all battles to defend the Motherland: the Patriotic War of 1812, during the defense of Sevastopol (1854-1855), during the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), the First World War (1914-1918).

In the USSR, engineering troops were created in the course of organizing Soviet army... In the 1930s, their technical re-equipment was carried out, and in the early 1940s, the engineering troops carried out a large amount of work on the construction of fortifications.

During the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), they set up obstacles and destruction on the offensive routes of enemy strike groups, equipped defensive lines, conducted engineering reconnaissance, made passes through enemy obstacles, ensured the forcing of water lines, preparation of routes for the advance and maneuver of troops, consolidation captured borders, etc. For courage and heroism shown during the war, 655 soldiers of the engineering troops were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, 294 became full holders of the Order of Glory; six engineering brigades, 190 engineering, sapper and pontoon battalions and five separate companies received the rank of guards.

Subsequently, the engineering troops played a significant role in supporting the hostilities in Afghanistan, during mine clearance in Tajikistan, Transnistria, Abkhazia, peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, as well as during the counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus and the operation to force Georgia to peace.

During the implementation of the humanitarian operation in Syria, Russian sappers have more than 6.5 thousand hectares of the country's territory, 1.5 thousand roads, more than 17 thousand buildings and structures, more than 100 thousand explosive objects and more than 30 thousand improvised explosive devices. They cleared from mines the architectural and historical complex, the urban part and the airport of Palmyra, as well as the city of Aleppo.

Further development of the engineering troops is carried out by equipping them with qualitatively new, highly effective, universal engineering weapons, built on the basis of unified elements, blocks and modules, with a simultaneous reduction in the nomenclature of samples of the same type for their purpose.

The troops are massively supplied with equipment of all types, including completely new, produced for the first time, such as: the modernized pontoon park PP-2005M, wheeled road vehicles KDM, military mobile sawmills VMLK-1, mobile engineering repair complexes PIRK and others. Engineering troops use multifunctional robotic demining systems MRTK-R "Uran-6", and also carry out experimental design work to create improved multifunctional robotic demining systems, as well as assault and barrage.

In 2018 in the engineering troops. These robotic systems passed combat tests in Syria, where they were noted during operation. positive sides, and also expressed wishes for modernization.

Chief of Engineering Troops of the Russian Armed Forces - Lieutenant General Yuri Stavitsky.

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The army of each state has a branch of the military, which is called engineering. He stands in front of the army and decides on the following support:

• construction of crossings;
• laying of paths;
• organization of a bridgehead for the advancement of troops;
• demining
• engineering intelligence, etc.

Despite the fact that it is peacetime now, the state remembers the merits of these troops in different periods of hostilities. Therefore, a holiday was established to honor the employees of these divisions.

The origin of engineering troops in the ancient world

The similarity of this type of troops appeared long ago, with the birth of the armed forces. The first mention of the construction of special military structures refers to the Egyptian army. In Carthage, Ancient Greece and in Rome similar construction was carried out by slaves. A thousand years BC, the first detachments of diggers appeared in the army of the Assyrians. Their task was:

• construction of crossings;
• road construction;
• construction of camps;
• creation of embankments, etc.

To cross the rivers, rafts and floating wineskins were created. The military camps were protected by earthen ramparts and a deep ditch.

Already in the second century AD, the so-called "Roman ramparts" appeared on the border of the conquered lands.

The first engineering structures in Russia

The heyday of military architecture falls on the ninth century. At this time, Russian craftsmen skillfully erected fortress walls around cities, created deep ditches to repel the enemy.

Thanks to their knowledge and the construction of defensive structures, taking into account the terrain, the Russian wars achieved victory on Lake Peipsi. Special skill was applied during the siege of Kazan.
The first mentions of military construction in Russia appeared in 1016. “Mostoviks” and “small towns” called themselves the masters who were on military service.

In the first decade of the seventeenth century, the first charter appeared, which generalized the knowledge of "military science". It was created by boyar Anisim Mikhailov.

For the first time in Russia, engineering maneuvers were carried out in 1692. The preparation of engineering measures was carried out at that time, taking into account the knowledge of the French Marshal Vauban.

Holiday history, when it is celebrated, what date

The holiday of military engineers is celebrated in 2019 on January 21. This date is not accidental, because it was on this day that Peter the Great, back in 1701, issued a decree on the founding of a school of sapper engineers. It was created in 1708 in Moscow. This turned out to be insufficient, and in 1719 a new institution for the "cannon business" was created, but already in the capital. Each school trained up to 300 specialists. With each successive military campaign, the number of military engineers increased. So the basis of the engineering troops was created under the leadership of Pushkin's great-grandfather - A. Hannibal.

Graduates of this organization were sent to the Russian-Japanese and Russo-Turkish War... Their contribution to the defense of Sevastopol is invaluable.

Not only sappers and artillery engineers were involved in the "cannon order", but also:

• saber manufacturers;
• weapons craftsmen;
• blacksmiths;
• cannon casting specialists.

The emperor entrusted the implementation of his decree to Yu. Dolgorukov, who played a colossal role in building the army. It was under his leadership that the first fortifications and powder factories were built. His creations have survived to this day.

The largest representatives of engineering construction are:

• P. Bagration;
• A. Suvorov;
• M. Kutuzov.

In the 18th century, the number of engineers continued to increase. The first pioneer regiment was organized in 1797. By 1812, the number of miner companies numbered 10 units, 14 pioneer companies were in the fortresses. Very soon the total number of engineering companies rose to forty.

• In 1819, 3 pioneer brigades were organized.
• During the period Crimean War the number of sapper battalions was already nine, not counting two cavalry divisions and two reserve battalions.
• Also, 8 fortresses and various fortifications were built.
• In the first quarter of the nineteenth century, the IW of Russia numbered 21 thousand people.
• In the twentieth century, the rapid development of IW continued.
• In 1917, the number of military engineers was equal to 6% of the army.

This type of troops was also an integral part of the army in Soviet time... The creation of IW began with the emergence of the Red Army. Team frames were trained in the military academy, in 3 schools and 8 courses. In 1921, military engineers made up 2.8% of the Red Army's strength. They played a special role in supporting and providing our troops during the Soviet-Finnish and Patriotic wars. Their merit in breaking through the defense of the German army and further victory is invaluable.

After the war, the engineering troops took part in various “hot spots”. Skillful engineering support helped our army to solve the most difficult tasks in Afghanistan.

Engineering troops also played a huge role in overcoming the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster.

Today, IW divisions are in the structures of the Ministry of Defense, border service, in the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Honoring the Engineering Troops 2019

The date of establishment of the IW day is 09/18/96. The merits of this kind of troops are recognized both by the people and by the top leadership of the church. In 2002, the Patriarch of Russia declared the military leader Daniel of Moscow the patron saint of the IW. The prince was canonized by the Russian church in 1791. His remains are now in the Kremlin.

The holiday of military engineers is widely celebrated Russian society... Representatives of this valiant branch of the armed forces are awarded various honorary titles, including the most important - Hero of Russia. On this day, congratulations are received:

• miners;
• sappers;
• engineers;
• divers;
• builders.

The profession of military engineers is very important. In the event of war, they provide unhindered progress ground forces... Their task includes:

• construction of defensive structures;
• mining, demining;
• construction of various crossings and bridges;
• water purification and extraction;
• engineering intelligence;
• construction of shelters for military equipment;
• camouflage of the territory.

In peacetime, IOT employees are involved in the elimination of various accidents and other emergencies.

In the era of the increased danger of world terrorism, the goal of the engineering troops is also to counter mine terror.