Russia Celebrates Submariner’s Day: Honoring a Century of Underwater Naval Power

Every year on March 19, Russia celebrates Submariner's Day — a professional holiday for servicemen and civilian personnel of the submarine forces of the Russian Navy, established by the order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy No. 253 on July 15, 1996. Origins of Russia's Submarine Forces In 1906, by decree of Emperor Nicholas II, submarines were formally included in the classification of Russian naval vessels. Ten submarines joined the Russian fleet, including the first, Delfin, built at the Baltic Shipyard in 1904. This date is considered the official birth of Russia's submarine forces. Although experimental submarines were constructed in Russia as early as the 19th century, the design and development of submarines as a key branch of military shipbuilding began in the early 20th century. The Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905) became the first war in history in which submarines, though not yet officially recognized, demonstrated their strategic potential.