From the stage veterans of the Great Patriotic War, military personnel of the Donetsk People's Republic army, soldiers-internationalists were congratulated by the Head of the Donetsk People's Republic Alexander Zakharchenko. The head of the DPR emphasized that since 2014 tens of thousands of people have been protecting their families, children, wives, mothers, fathers, grandfathers, great-grandfathers, their soil, their houses and streets, their churches and language and urged to honor silence of all those who hadn't returned from the battlefield and died in this war …

Alexander Zakharchenko held an awards ceremony of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics military personnel, having stated that Donbass is united. Defenders of Donbass were awarded decorations of "Merit for the Motherland "Merits for the Republic", "St George's Cross, IV grade", honorary Certificates of the Head of the DPR and other awards.

From all people of the Lugansk People's Republic all attendees were congratulated on a holiday by the Head of LPR Leonid Pasechnik. "Our force is in our faith and in our unity", he said.

The festive event went on congratulation and rewarding of the military personnel of the Republic by the Minister of Defence of the DPR Vladimir Kononov, then he expressed gratitude for help and assistance to heads of a number of ministries of the Donetsk People's Republic.

"Thanks to Larisa Petrovna's support our armed forces are able not only to make war, but also to study", - Vladimir Kononov stated and awarded the Minister of Education and Science of the Donetsk People's Republic Larisa Polyakova with Certificate of gratitude of the Ministry of Defence of the DPR for help, assistance in strengthening of Homeland boundaries, powerful contribution to creation of the DPR Armed forces.

In her turn, Larisa Polyakova wished all defenders of the Fatherland happy holiday. "You are real heroes and you serve as an example of courage for imitation", - the Minister said.