On August 1, it has been 108 years since Russia entered World War I to protect Serbia. The conflict was triggered by the assassination of the Austrian heir to the throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and his wife in Sarajevo, carried out by Serbian student Gavrilo Princip on June 28, 1914. On July 10, Austria-Hungary issued an ultimatum to Serbia, and on July 15, declared war, beginning the bombardment of Belgrade.

The Russian government immediately stated that it would not allow the occupation of the Slavic state, and on July 31, mobilization began in the country. Germany demanded the cessation of mobilization, threatening to declare war, which occurred on August 1, 1914.

Thus, World War I began, later joined by Japan, Italy, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire. The war lasted more than four years, until November 11, 1918, and led to the collapse of four empires: Russian, Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and German.

Russia deployed 5 fronts and 16 armies, involving 9.12% of the population. In the battles of 1914 on the territories of Poland, Galicia, and East Prussia, a significant part of the regular army was lost, and the losses had to be replenished with reservists and inadequately trained soldiers.

In total, more than 10 million soldiers died during the Great War, and millions were wounded. In several countries, the end of the war is commemorated as Remembrance Day, and in Russia, August 1 is also a Day of Remembrance for Russian soldiers who died in World War I.