People across Russia are celebrating the national day, with parades, balls, historical reenactments, and various other events.
12 June 2017
Students of the State Fire Academy unfolded a huge state flag on Poklonnaya Hill, cerebrating Russia Day. The flag, measuring 1,014 square meters, is the largest Russian flag in the world, according to a statement released by the Emergencies Ministry.
Some 3.8 million people participated in mass events celebrating Russia Day across the country, the Interior Ministry said in a statement. Around 3,000 events were organized to mark the main national holiday, the authorities said, adding that as of 7pm Moscow time public events were continuing in many locations.
The National Guard and police officers are providing security at the events, the ministry added.
Sokolniki Park has become one of the major Russia Day venues in Moscow. The celebrations kicked off with ‘Big Workout,’ led by prominent extreme motorcyclist Marat Kankadze. Also, the Russian Football Champions Cup was put on display to the public.
Following the sport events, a concerts featuring young Russian bands began, with a literature festival also taking place in the park.
More than 200,000 people took part in the festivities at Sokolniki Park, police said.
Some 2.5 million people in Moscow are taking part in the celebrations dedicated to Russia Day, according to the Interior Ministry website.
An international flower festival is taking place in St. Petersburg.
Some 270,000 people are participating in the celebrations on Russia Day in Moscow, according to the latest statement by the Interior Ministry.
About 1,000 people are participating in the opposition protest on Sakharova Street, sanctioned by the Moscow authorities, the press service of the Interior Ministry has said.
Over 5,000 residents of the Republic of Ingushetia have taken part in Russia Day celebrations, with the biggest events taking place in the city of Nazran, the press service of the republic’s head, Yunus-Bek Evkurov, told Interfax.
There are no unscheduled road blocks on Tverskaya Street in central Moscow, where the ‘Times and Epochs’ festival is taking place, the head of the capital’s department of regional security and anti-corruption, Vladimir Chernikov, told TASS. He said that part of Tverskaya Street is being blocked off for the festival, and the rest of the street is open for transport. He branded any claims to the contrary “absurd rumors.”
Around 500 participants of a motorcycle and bike parade rode around a 10-meter Russian flag in the city of Novosibirsk to celebrate the occasion.
Over 30 thousand people have already taken part in the celebrations in central Moscow, according to an interior ministry statement on its website.
Flower festivals will be the centerpiece of celebrations in St. Petersburg. Florists from all over the world – the Netherlands, Poland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Armenia, Belarus, and Russia of course – are taking part in the events, preparing dresses made of flowers, flower umbrellas, and other accessories made of flowers. Concerts will also be held in St. Petersburg: at 12:00pm (9:00am GMT), a show with major Russian artists will begin, and there will be an opera in the evening.
A few war reenactments are taking place in St. Petersburg as well, one of which depicts a battle from the Afghan War.
More than 150 events will be held on Russia Day in Moscow. Celebrations will take place in museums, art centers and parks across the Russian capital. Nearly 9,000 police officers and members of the security services will be on patrol to ensure law and order.
Spartak Moscow goalkeeper Artem Rebrov and defender Andrey Eshchenko will display their coveted trophy, won in the Russian Football Premier League championship, on Russia Day – June 12. The players will talk with fans gathered at Sokolniki Park in Moscow.
“Russia Day is a special day for me,” Rebrov said, as cited by TASS. “I’m pleased to invite all our fans to celebrate it, especially since it’s a day off and festivities will take place in the park where you can have a good walk. I think the most important thing is not to see us, the players, but the cup won in the long-awaited victory in the championship, to touch it, take a picture with it,” the goalkeeper added.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin sent his best wishes to the Russian people on the country’s national day.
“Rich history, hard-working people, great culture and a bright future – this is our country. Happy Russia Day, my friends!” the mayor tweeted.
Major Russian Internet company Mail.Ru Group has marked Russia Day with its headquarters colored as the Russian flag overnight.
Russia’s Far East is celebrating Russia Day with bike parades in the Sakhalin and Amur regions. A ball and performances by the Marine Corps are being held in the city of Vladivostok. In Magadan, a festival of a dozen local national communities is being held, with traditional cuisine prepared for the festival guests, as well as competitions, workshops, and performances of local dances and songs.
Khabarovsk has marked the occasion with a special performance: about 200 participants stood along an improvised map of Russia, drawn on the city square, to convey the idea of Russia as a multi-national country. Overall, there are about 100 events taking place in the region, according to TASS News Agency.