On the 2nd of August Russia celebrates the day of Russian airborne troops. It’s called “VDV day”. VDV is abbreviation of vozdushno-desantnie voiska (airborne troops in Russian). During that celebration all paratroopers put on their uniform or striped vests, gather in public places (In Moscow, for example, in Gorky park), drink much alcohol and traditionally swim in the fountains (where swimming is traditionally forbidden) and shout “for VDV!!!”. Sometimes drunk troopers can get into confrontation with militia or security guards and also beat people from the south countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States or just those people who haven’t served in the army.

On the pictures below one can see the VDV celebration nowadays.