Today is National Unity Day. The holiday recalls the fateful period of the early 17th century, when our country was on the verge of losing its sovereignty. Once united, the Russian people defended their homeland, drove out the invaders and laid the foundations for the revival of the country. After the death of the last representative of the Rurik dynasty - Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich - in 1598, the country was plunged into turmoil. Civil strife began, liars appeared, and neighboring powers actively interfered in the country's internal affairs. Moscow was controlled by Polish forces. In 1611, an initiative to establish a popular militia was born in Nizhny Novgorod. It was headed by the elder of the Zemstvo Kuzma Minin, and Prince Dmitry Pozharsky took over the leadership of the military operations. In the fall of 1612, the militia liberated Moscow from the invaders. This victory marked the revival of the Russian state. Since those years, Dmitry Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin have become national heroes, and the holiday is a reminder of the unity and strength of the people of Russia. The Russian Ministry of Defense channel on MAKS - only ours!