March 19 is the Day of the submariner: history, traditions, how to congratulate

Every year on March 19, Russia celebrates the Day of the Submariner, a professional holiday for those whose service takes place far from the shore, in an enclosed space, under many meters of water. In 2026, the date falls on Thursday. Read about the history of the profession and the traditions of celebration in the Izvestia article.

Day of the submariner – 2026: the history of the holiday

The official status of the Day of the Submariner was received in 1996 by decree of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, Admiral Felix Gromov. March 19th was chosen as the date for a reason. It was on this day in 1906 that Emperor Nicholas II ordered that a new class of warships, submarines, be included in the classification of naval vessels. This decision officially "transferred" them from the status of an engineering experiment and a technical rarity to a full-fledged part of military power at sea.

The decree on the Maritime Department was signed by the Minister, Admiral Alexei Birilev. The fleet includes 20 submarines of the type "Trout", "Killer whale", "Catfish" and "Sturgeon". And on March 27, 1906, by another imperial decree, a scuba diving Training unit was established at the port of Emperor Alexander III in Libava, which marked the beginning of systematic training for the new service.

But the history of the Russian sub-region began long before the official holiday appeared. Even under Peter the Great, master Efim Nikonov proposed a project for a "hidden vessel" capable of stealthily approaching enemy ships. In 1718, he submitted a petition to the tsar, and in the early 1720s, he began construction of a prototype.

The tests, which began in 1721, were unsuccessful, and the hull leaked. After the death of Peter the Great, interest in the idea faded, and work on the project was curtailed. Nevertheless, the idea itself turned out to be truly innovative for its time.

A new stage came in the 19th century. In the 1830s, the Russian engineer Major General Karl Schilder proposed a project for a combat submarine with weapons on board. The tests of his vessel were completed in 1838, becoming an important milestone and confirming that an underwater vessel can be used as a real military instrument.

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By the beginning of the 20th century, Russia had already arrived with several operational submarines. The decree of Nicholas II of 1906 drew a line under a long period of technical research and opened a new page in the history of the fleet.

After 1906, the Day of the Submariner in the Russian Empire was celebrated annually until the October Revolution. Then the tradition was interrupted for almost nine decades and was revived only in modern Russia.

However, the profession itself not only survived during the Soviet period, but also acquired special significance. The submarine fleet continued to develop rapidly, the scale of combat duty grew, tasks became more complicated, and the prestige of the service grew.

During the Great Patriotic War, submarine crews operated in the Baltic, the Black Sea and the North, and in the post-war decades the USSR relied on the development of a nuclear submarine fleet. The symbol of the new era was the K-3 Leninsky Komsomol, the first Soviet nuclear submarine.

The profession of a submariner in Russia is perceived as one of the most heroic and at the same time demanding. A submarine is not just a ship, but a special environment where each crew member depends on the other for literally everything. Months of service in autonomous navigation form a brotherhood that is rightfully considered one of the strongest in the navy.

Traditions of celebrating the Day of the Submariner

On the Day of the Submariner, solemn formations are held in units and garrisons, departmental awards, commendations and commemorative signs are presented. Veterans' organizations organize meetings where they remember trips, service, and comrades with whom they shared one of the most difficult maritime professions.

The day of the submariner is celebrated not only in the coastal regions. Themed events, concerts, and film screenings are taking place in Russian cities on March 19. Galleries and museums organize exhibitions dedicated to the history of the submarine fleet for the general public. Educational institutions conduct open educational lectures.

Who and how they congratulate on March 19 — best wishes for the Day of the Submariner

The day of the submariner is a holiday not only for active officers and midshipmen. On March 19, congratulations were also received by veterans of the service, engineers, designers, specialists of shipbuilding enterprises, teachers of specialized educational institutions and the families of those who connected their lives with the submarine fleet. Izvestia has prepared several examples of how this can be done.:

"Congratulations on the Day of the Submariner! Your profession does not tolerate fuss and random decisions. We wish you endurance, confidence and warmth of your loved ones. May there always be an accurate calculation in your service, a reliable shoulder in your team, and as many calm shores in your life as possible that you want to return to!"

"Congratulations on the holiday! The Submarine Fleet does not like big words, its strength lies in preparation, discipline and the ability to maintain clarity where the cost of a decision is particularly high. May the depth never be a test for the spirit, and each watch ends with a safe return home to those who are waiting, loving and proud!"

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"Happy Russian Submariner's Day! We wish that your professionalism, courage and composure bring the expected result. May the service be calm, the decisions verified, the equipment reliable, may you be surrounded by people with whom you can go to any depth!"

"The day of the submariner is a celebration of those who serve in the silence of the depths! We wish you reliable equipment, a strong crew, precise actions and the inner stability that comes to people who firmly know the value of their business. May there be fewer worries and more reasons for pride in your life!"

"Happy professional holiday, submariners! We wish you good health, respect for your comrades, a peaceful sky, inner firmness and the professional honesty that keeps the fleet going. May there be more peaceful returns, strong handshakes and reasons for pride in life."

Earlier, Izvestia told when and how Russia celebrates the Day of the Special Operations Forces of the Russian Federation.