Ukrainian Volunteer Day on March 14: How Did the Holiday Come About and Why Is It Important?

Every year on March 14, Ukraine honors those who voluntarily took up arms to defend the nation. From the first 500 fighters who headed to the training ground in Novi Petrivtsi in 2014 to the hundreds of thousands of defenders following the full-scale invasion—the volunteer movement has become an integral part of Ukrainian history. Learn more about how Ukrainian Volunteer Day was established and the role volunteer units played in defending Ukraine

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On March 14, Ukraine celebrates Ukrainian Volunteer Day—a national holiday honoring those who voluntarily stood up to defend the country’s independence and territorial integrity. This date is linked to a specific historical event in 2014 that gave rise to a mass volunteer movement.

How the holiday was established, what role volunteer battalions played, and how the volunteer movement has changed since 2022—we’ll cover all of this in the article below.

How and why was Ukrainian Volunteer Day established?

The holiday was officially established on January 17, 2017, by Resolution No. 1822-VII of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. During a plenary session of parliament, 231 members of parliament voted in favor of the resolution. The primary goal of the decision was to honor the courage and heroism of those defending Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty, as well as to strengthen the patriotic spirit in society and raise awareness of the participants in volunteer formations.

The resolution recommended that the Cabinet of Ministers develop a comprehensive plan of events to celebrate the holiday at the state level—involving the public and active members of volunteer formations who participated in the Revolution of Dignity (November 2013–February 2014). Among the planned activities are an annual commemoration of the volunteers’ heroism, as well as thematic discussions and events at educational institutions, military units, and cultural venues.

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Why is March 14 the date of Volunteer Day?

The date of the holiday was chosen in connection with the events of March 14, 2014. On that day, 500 volunteer fighters from the Maidan Self-Defense Forces set out from Independence Square for a training base in Novi Petrivtsi. There, the first volunteer battalion was formed, which later became the 1st Kulchytskyi Special Operations Battalion of the National Guard of Ukraine.

One of the main motivations for forming independent volunteer battalions was the desire of Maidan participants to defend Ukraine alongside their comrades—the people with whom they stood on the barricades and who were fellow members of patriotic movements. Men and women organized themselves and headed to eastern Ukraine to defend the country’s sovereignty. In 2014, the volunteer battalions effectively made mobilization possible and served as a shield for Ukrainian statehood at the onset of Russian armed aggression.

Volunteer Units in the Battles of 2014–2015

In the spring of 2014, regional state administrations began recruiting local volunteers into territorial defense battalions under the leadership of the Ministry of Defense. At the same time, volunteer units of the National Guard and the Special Purpose Police Patrol Service were formed under the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Separate from state security forces, volunteers also formed independent battalions.

In total, nearly 40 volunteer battalions participated in the battles of 2014–2015 in eastern Ukraine. In particular, in the defense of Donetsk Airport alongside units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine—the 79th, 80th, 81st, and 95th Airborne Brigades, the 93rd and 72nd Mechanized Brigades, and other units—fighters from the Ukrainian Volunteer Corps (UVC), the OUN Battalion, and the “Dnipro-1” Regiment. The vast majority of volunteer formations were later transformed into military units of the security forces.

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The Volunteer Movement After the Full-Scale Invasion of 2022

A significant impetus for the development of the volunteer movement was provided by the Law of Ukraine “On the Foundations of National Resistance,” adopted on July 16, 2021. In accordance with this law, volunteer formations of territorial communities began to be created—militarized units composed of citizens residing within the respective community. After the Cabinet of Ministers approved the relevant Regulations in December 2021, a network of such formations was established throughout the country.

After February 24, 2022, from the very first day of the full-scale Russian invasion, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians voluntarily joined the ranks of the Armed Forces and territorial defense. Tens of thousands returned from abroad for this purpose. Among the volunteers are well-known athletes, public figures, and people from various professions. Foreign volunteers have also joined the defense of Ukraine.

The Visit Ukraine team salutes all Ukrainian volunteers—those who were the first to head east in 2014, those who defended the front lines for years, and those who joined the ranks of the defenders from the very first hours of the full-scale invasion. Your determination and readiness to act have become the foundation of the country’s resistance.

Thank you to every volunteer—your courage is remembered and appreciated.

Glory to Ukraine!

Reminder! Ukraine has entered the top ten countries with the largest armies in the world in 2026. According to the IISS, the Ukrainian military numbers approximately 677,000 personnel.

Photo: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine

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