23 February

[mendeleyev]

Just a heads up for those interested...

February 23 is День защитника Отечества (Defender of the Fatherland Day) in Russia, an official holiday. In Ukraine it is an unofficial holiday, Defender of the Motherland Day.

If you know her father, chances are that he served in a branch of the Soviet or Russian/Ukrainian military as he lived with a universal draft. You don't need to send flowers (unless she herself served and that is a possibility) but a verbal recognition about it will set you apart from the clueless.

Your gal may also congratulate you. Don't freak out if you didn't serve, it is informally a sort of "man's day" anyway and although you shouldn't expect something, don't be surprised if she congratulates you. And given that she lives in a country with a universal draft she may just assume that you served anyway.

[Jersey Guy]

It should also be noted that since the holiday is on a Saturday the time off for workers has been moved to Friday May 10. Now Friday May 10 is the day off for Defender of the Fatherland and the observed day for Victory Day Thursday May 9. But, of course the spirit of the holiday will be observed on Feb 23.
It seems that the government has been efficient in moving 2 holidays into 1 observed day.

[tfcrew]

I always thought that the 'fatherland' is Germany and that it is 'mother' Russia.

[mendeleyev]

Tf, a very interesting question.

Grammatically the name Россия (Russia), the term Мать Россия (Mother Russia) and the name Родина (Rodina or "Motherland") are of the feminine gender in the Russian language although this is not just a question answered by grammar.

The Motherland has always been protected by her Fathers (Tsars and men of each family) and so it is not uncommon to hear such military holidays about defending the Отечество (Fatherland).

For more interesting reading: http://www.simoncroberts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Motherland-Rosamund_-Bartlett_Essay.pdf

My answer is not intended to be the final word on the subject as our Russian members or others may have even better answers.

Below: I received the photo/e-card today from a Russian friend and interestingly they didn't use either term although the theme of the holiday is evident.

[Kunstkammer]

It should also be noted that since the holiday is on a Saturday the time off for workers has been moved to Friday May 10. Now Friday May 10 is the day off for Defender of the Fatherland and the observed day for Victory Day Thursday May 9. But, of course the spirit of the holiday will be observed on Feb 23.
It seems that the government has been efficient in moving 2 holidays into 1 observed day.

Well, I had Friday off and schools were out today and Sberbank was closed, maybe not everybody got the memo.

[Kunstkammer]

I always thought that the 'fatherland' is Germany and that it is 'mother' Russia.

Common mistake based on stereotypical English language portrayals of Russians.  Mendeleyev gave a good 'easy to understand' explanation.  It depends on context. 

[Lily]

A catty play of words: Котечество в опасности
 
 

[Lily]

This is a picture from a do-it-yourself exhibition in a Russian kindergarden. Kids had an assignment to make canons on the occasion of the Defender's Day. Here is a photo of the ready canons with a creator's name near them.
The creations were well accepted on Russian internet, as the canons look very similar to dildos.
 
 

[SANDRO43]

CanNon, Lily .  A canon may be 9 quite different other things (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/canon), including a piece of music like:

Am I the only pervert thinking that those cannon look more like pieces of male anatomy than of artillery ?

[ML]

The creations were well accepted on Russian internet, as the canons look very similar to dildos.

And there is a substantial variety of sizes, so almost anyone could find something 'just right' as Goldilocks did.

[naigalina]

Here is the post from my blog about this day http://galynatate.wordpress.com/2012/02/23/the-day-of-fatherland-defender/
On February 23, Ukrainian men (unofficially) are celebrating the Day of Fatherland Defender, which was originally known as Red Army Day (Russian: День Красной Армии / Dyen� Krasnoy Armii.) It�s believed that the first mass draft into the Red Army occurred on February 23, 1918 during the Russian Civil War. Regular working class people were encouraged and most of the times forced to join the army. It was the Workers� and Peasants� Red Army. During the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922 the army consisted of communist combat revolutionary groups.

In 1922 this date was officially declared the Day of the Red Army.

Later it grew into the Soviet Union national army. In 1949, it was renamed into the Soviet Army and Navy Day (Russian: День Советской Армии и Военно-Морского Флота/ Dyen� Sovyetskoy Armii i Voyenno-Morskogo flota).

After the Soviet Union collapsed the holiday was renamed into the Day of Fatherland Defender. Originally only soldiers, armed forces veterans, and law enforcement agencies celebrated this holiday. These days the Day of Fatherland Defender is not a public holiday. Though, people celebrate it as the �real men�s day�. Women give special attention to their men (family, friends, husbands, boyfriends). And men love celebrating it and of course getting all the attention and gifts from their loved ones.

The Ukrainian army has its own holiday �The Armed Forces Day� on December 6.
Here is the list of all the military holidays in Ukraine:

    February 23 � The Defender Day
    July 8 � The Air Defense Day
    Last Sunday in July � The Navy Day
    August 2 � The Airmobile Forces Day
    August 8 � The Signal troops Day
    September 7 � The Day of Military Intelligence
    Second Sunday of September (September 9 in 2012) � The Tankman Day
    September 14 � The mobilization serviceman Day
    October 29 � The Day of finance officers
    November 3 � The Rocket Forces and Artillery Day
    November 3 � The Day of Engineers
    December 6 � The Armed Forces Day
    December 12 � The Day of Ground Forces
    December 23 � The Day of all level operational control structures servicemen.

My best wishes go to all the men who defend and protect us, to all the manliest men!!!