Flag Day has been celebrated every year on Aug. 22 since it was introduced in 1991 by then-President Boris Yeltsin.

The white-blue-red tricolor appeared in Russia in the 18th when during the reign of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. His Father Peter I chose a Dutch red-white-blue tricolor for Merchant Navy’s Flag. The flag had to wait for a few decades to become the national flag.

On 7 May 1883, the Russian flag was authorized to be used on land, and it became an official National flag before the coronation of Tsar Nicholas II in 1896. The flag continued to be used by the Russian Provisional Government after the Tsar was toppled in the February Revolution and was not replaced until the October Revolution.

In the Soviet era all Russian flags were based on the Red Banner After the formation of the Soviet Union, the official state flag contained a gold hammer, sickle, and gold-bordered red star in the upper hoist corner. When the Soviet Union dissolved non-Russian territories acquired by tsars and communist leaders became independent with their own flags.

The Russian Federation that remained readopted the white-blue-red Russian national flag which became official on 22nd August 1991. The white stripe stands for freedom, blue for the Virgin Mary and red for the power statehood.

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