The day marks the 2014 liberation of Donetsk Airport’s new terminal by special forces.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed Decree No. 346/2025, designating May 27 as the new annual Day of the Special Operations Forces (SOF) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
"Honoring the courage and heroism of Special Operations Forces soldiers demonstrated in the fight for Ukraine’s freedom, independence, and territorial integrity, and to establish new military traditions, I hereby declare May 27 as Special Operations Forces Day," the presidential decree states.
According to the SOF Command, on May 27, 2014, soldiers of special operations units—predecessors of today’s SOF—together with troops from other defense branches, carried out an operation to recapture the new terminal of Donetsk Airport from enemy forces and raised the Ukrainian flag over the facility.
Since their official formation in 2016, the SOF had previously celebrated their service day on July 29. That presidential decree (No. 311/2016) has now been repealed. However, a new order from SOF Commander Major General Oleksandr Trepak designates July 29 as the official day to honor fallen members of the Special Operations Forces.
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