Diplomatic Correspodent

A strong friendship between Russia and Bangladesh will last forever and bilateral military cooperation will go to a new height.

It was stated by Colonel Sergey Naydenov, Military, Air and Naval Attache to the Embassy of Russia in Bangladesh at a reception organised marking the celebration of Russian Armed Forces Day in Dhaka on Thursday.

Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Aleksandr Mantytsky was present at the event on this occasion.

Exactly 106 years back, on 23 February 1918, the newly-formed Red Army gained its first victory over the regular armed forces of Kaiser Germany.

The Russian Federation inherited the date as Armed Forces Day from the USSR. Presently it is called the Day of Defenders of the Fatherland.

Speaking at the reception held at the Russian Embassy on Thursday evening, Colonel Sergey Naydenov, said people in Russia consider this day as the celebration of the real man in the broad sense of the word a man who is always ready to defend his fatherland, home and family from any threat and who is ready to sacrifice his life.

“Nowadays world affairs are becoming extremely volatile and dynamic. It relates to different crises and conflicts as well. The Armed Forces should be always ready to respond to modern threats and ensure the national interests of a country,” he said.

Colonel Sergey Naydenov said the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are fit for these goals, as evidenced by the successful antiterrorist operation in Syria and The Special Military Operation in Ukraine to destroy the Nazi regime.

“Here I would like to emphasize that the modernization of the Russian Armed Forces does not threaten any nation. We just want to be prepared to withstand the emerging challenges. At the same time, we are always open to mutually beneficial cooperation with foreign partners in the interests of peace, stability and international security equal for all,” he said.

“But everybody should know that Russia, whenever it faces aggression, will always give a shattering repulse as happened many times in its Millennium history.”

He said that he is absolutely sure that a strong friendship between Russia and Bangladesh will last forever and bilateral military cooperation will go to new heights.

“Joi friendship between the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of Bangladesh.”

Chief of Army Staff (CAS) of the Bangladesh Army General Sheikh Mohammad Shafiuddin Ahmed and other high defence officials from the Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force, and Defence Attache from different embassies and high commissions stationed in Dhaka attended the event.