Russia

Moscow, Russia’s breath-taking capital city on the Moskva River in Western Russia, is well known worldwide. The Red Square, the Bolshoi Theatre, St. Basil’s Cathedral, Kremlin, and Church of Christ the Saviour, among other well-known Russian landmarks, are all located in the city.

During the third and eighth centuries CE, the East Slavs formed as a distinct ethnic group in Europe. The first East Slavic kingdom, Kievan Rus’, emerged in the ninth century and received Orthodox Christianity from the Byzantine Empire in 988. Rus’ eventually split, with the Grand Duchy of Moscow rising to become Russia’s Tsardom. By the early 18th century, Russia had significantly expanded via invasion, annexation, and the efforts of Russian explorers, becoming the Russian Empire, which is now the world’s third-largest empire. Nevertheless, with the Russian Revolution in 1917, Russia’s monarchy was abolished, and the Russian SFSR—the world’s first officially socialist state—was established in its stead.

During the Russian Civil War, the Russian SFSR (together with three other Soviet republics) founded the Soviet Union, of which it was the biggest and most important element. The Soviet Union underwent rapid industrialization in the 1930s at the loss of millions of lives, and subsequently played a key role for the Allies in World War II by directing large-scale operations on the Eastern Front. It contended with the United States for worldwide ideological influence with the commencement of the Cold War; the Soviet period of the twentieth century witnessed some of the most significant Russian technological breakthroughs, including the first human-made satellite and the first human voyage into outer space.

Eight civic, patriotic, and religious holidays are recognised in Russia. The two biggest celebrated holidays in the nation—New Year’s Day on January 1 and Russian Orthodox Christmas on January 7—come right after each other. Men’s Day, Defender of the Fatherland Day, is observed on February 23. The 8th of March, International Women’s Day, became more popular in Russia throughout the Soviet era. Women’s Day has grown to be so popular every year, especially among Russian men, that Moscow’s flower dealers sometimes make “15 times” as much money on this day as they do on other holidays.On May 1, we commemorate Spring and Labor Day, a holiday that was initially set aside for employees during the Soviet era.

Popular non-public holidays abound. On January 14, we observe Old New Year. An old and well-known East Slavic traditional holiday is called Maslenitsa. April 12 is designated as Cosmonautics Day in honour of the first human spaceflight. Easter and Trinity Sunday are two significant Christian feasts.