The National Flag Day of the Russian Federation is being celebrated in Russia. The three-coloured flag replaced the Soviet flag when it was raised over the parliament in Moscow on August 22, 1991. State Flag Day was established by the president on August 20, 1994.
The white, blue and red flag was raised for the first time on the first Russian warship, the Oryol. Further use of the white, blue and red flag was suspended in 1858, when the Heraldic Office of the Senate’s Heraldry Department came up with an initiative to change the appearance of the Russian national flag.
The same year, Tsar Alexander II approved a design "with black, yellow and white colors reminiscent of the imperial coat of arms that were used in banners, flags and other street decorations during festive occasions." On January 1, 1865, Alexander II issued a decree in which black, orange (golden) and white were explicitly designated "the national colors of Russia."
The black, yellow and white flag remained in use until 1883. On April 28, 1883, Alexander III issued a decree, which stated: "On occasions when buildings may be recognized as suitable for decoration with flags, the Russian flag with three stripes — white at the top, blue in the middle and red at the bottom — shall exclusively be used."
Officially, the white, blue and red flag was approved as the state flag of Russia in the run-up to the coronation of Nicholas II in 1896.
The three colors of the national flag received an official interpretation. Red represented a great power, blue stood for the color of the Holy Mother who protects Russia, and white was the color of freedom and independence. These colors also represented the commonwealth of White Russia, Little Russia and Great Russia.
The red banner served as the state flag in Soviet Russia for more than 70 years. An extraordinary session of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR resolved on August 22, 1991, to consider the tricolor flag Russia’s official symbol. A presidential executive order of December 11, 1993, approved the guidelines "Regulations on the National Flag of the Russian Federation."
On December 25, 2000, President Vladimir Putin signed a federal constitutional law, "On the National Flag of the Russian Federation." In accordance with the law, the national flag of the Russian Federation is a rectangular panel consisting of three equal horizontal stripes: white at the top, blue in the middle and red at the bottom. The flag’s width to length ratio is 2:3.
The current unofficial interpretation of the colors is as follows: white represents peace, purity, integrity and excellence; blue is the color of faith, loyalty and constancy; red symbolizes energy, strength and blood shed for the Fatherland.
The VCIOM polling center said that 71% of people questioned were proud of the flag.
