Civil Defense Day is celebrated annually in Russia on October 4.
Civil defense is a system of measures to prepare for protection and to protect the population, material and cultural values on the territory of the Russian Federation from the dangers arising from military conflicts or as a result of these conflicts, as well as in emergency situations of a natural and man–made nature.
The organization and conduct of civil defense are one of the most important functions of the state, components of defense construction, ensuring the security of the state.
For the first time, the problems of protecting civilians acquired national significance in Russia during the First World War (1914-1918), when combat aircraft capable of bombing settlements and objects located far beyond the line of hostilities began to be used in military operations.
Historians have identified 1918 as the initial stage of the origin of the system responsible for protecting the population in the country. In February 1918, when German troops, violating the armistice, launched an offensive on Petrograd (now St. Petersburg), all measures were taken for the anti-aircraft and chemical defense of the city. The Committee of Revolutionary Defense of Petrograd issued a proclamation "To the population of Petrograd and its environs", which established the rules of behavior of the population in conditions of air attack and was the first document defining civil defense measures.
In connection with the build-up and improvement of military aviation in all leading countries, the leadership of the USSR adopted a number of resolutions aimed at creating and strengthening the air and chemical defense of the country. In 1929, air defense departments were created in the military districts, which included services – engineering, chemical protection, internal surveillance and intelligence. In 1931, other services were also formed – fire, order and safety protection, medical and sanitary, veterinary and some others.
On October 4, 1932, the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR approved the "Regulations on the Air Defense of the Territory of the USSR", which for the first time defined measures and means of direct protection of the population and territories of the country from air danger in the zone of possible enemy aviation action. The document marked the beginning of the creation of local air defense (MPVO) – the basis of the future Civil Defense system of the USSR. In this regard, October 4, 1932 is considered to be the birthday of the country's civil defense.
During the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), the country's air defense system contributed to the defense of the Motherland, significantly reducing civilian casualties and preventing the destruction of national economy facilities. Air defense fighters eliminated the consequences of more than 30 thousand nazi air raids, prevented more than 32 thousand serious accidents at national economy facilities in cities, neutralized more than 430 thousand aerial bombs and almost 2.5 million shells and mines. By the efforts of the formations and units of the MPVO, 90 thousand fires and fires were eliminated. The MPVO has provided protection in shelters and shelters for 25.5 million people.
In the post-war period, the system of protection of the population was improved taking into account the appearance of nuclear, bacteriological and new types of chemical weapons.
In 1961, on the basis of the MPVO, a new nationwide system was created in the country – the Civil Defense of the USSR. By the resolution of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR of July 13, 1961, the "Regulations on Civil Defense of the USSR" was adopted. Theoretical foundations for the protection of the population were developed, and a complex of organizational, engineering, sanitary and hygienic, anti-epidemic measures was carried out throughout the country.
The main governing bodies were the civil defense headquarters.
In the early 1970s, due to the threat of a nuclear attack, the military-strategic situation in the world changed. In this regard, changes were made to the activities of the Civil Defense of the USSR. Since September 1971, the direct management of the civil defense system has been transferred to the Ministry of Defense of the USSR.
In March 1976, a new "Regulation on Civil Defense of the USSR" was adopted. The document determined that the State Defense of the USSR is an integral part of the system of national defense measures aimed at protecting the population from weapons of mass destruction and other means of attack of the enemy. For the first time, all civil defense measures were ordered to be carried out in concert with other defense measures. In terms of importance, civil defense was brought to the level of armed protection.
In the 1980s, the increase in the number and scale of natural and man-made emergencies led to the realization that civil defense could not limit its activities to the framework of wartime.
On July 30, 1987, the Government of the USSR adopted a resolution on the radical restructuring of the civil defense system, according to which it was entrusted with the tasks of protecting the population from the consequences of accidents, catastrophes and natural disasters, as well as carrying out rescue and other urgent work during their liquidation.
The formation of the state system for prevention and action in emergency situations began with the creation in 1989 in the structure of the Government of the USSR of the State Commission of the Council of Ministers of the USSR for Emergency Situations, and then in 1990 – the State System for Prevention and Action in Emergency situations, which included the Union, republican and sectoral (ministries and departments) subsystems. The Commission and the system existed before the collapse of the USSR.
In the early 1990s, the creation of the Russian emergency warning and action system began, the Russian Rescue Corps was formed, on the basis of which the State Committee for Emergency Situations (GKCHS) was later formed. It included civil defense troops.
After a number of reorganizations in 1994, the State Emergency Service was transformed into the Ministry of Civil Defense, Emergencies and Disaster Response of the Russian Federation (EMERCOM of Russia).
On February 12, 1998, for the first time in the history of Russia, the problems of civil defense were regulated by a legislative act – the federal law "On Civil Defense". The law defined the tasks, the legal basis for their implementation and the powers of the authorities of the Russian Federation and organizations in the field of civil defense.
Since 1999, the reform of the civil defense forces began, rescue centers were formed. Later, the Federal Fire Service (2001), the State Inspectorate for Small Vessels (2003) and paramilitary mountain rescue units (2010) were transferred to the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia.
In 2011, rescue military formations (SVF) were formed on the basis of formations, military units and organizations of the civil defense forces EMERCOM of Russia.
Currently, the Ministry of Emergency Situations has 85 main departments in the constituent entities of Russia, of which eight are the main main departments entrusted with coordinating the work of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia in the federal districts. Rescue units of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia include 10 search and rescue and emergency rescue units, 11 SVF, fire protection, aviation and paramilitary mountain rescue units.
In September 2011, the decree of the President of the Russian Federation approved the foundations of the unified state policy of Russia in the field of civil defense for the period up to 2020, and at the end of 2016 – for the period up to 2030.
A characteristic feature of the new look of civil defense is that its preparation and maintenance should be carried out based on the principle of strategic mobility. The essence of this principle is to create opportunities for a gradual increase in measures in time and space, depending on the level of military threats, in the concentration of forces and means of civil defense at the right time and in the right place. The implementation of the principle of strategic mobility presupposes the presence of highly mobile, technically equipped and professionally trained forces capable of covering individual cities and entire territories, mobile reserves of protective equipment and life support for the affected population.
On the Day of Civil Defense of Russia, festive events are traditionally held: solemn initiation ceremonies for cadets of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia, exhibitions of specialized fire and rescue equipment, relay races, etc.
The material was prepared on the basis of information from RIA Novosti and open sources