Russia has marked National Flag Day with official ceremonies and tightly managed celebrations across the country, as the Kremlin leans heavily on patriotic symbols amid its ongoing war in Ukraine and confrontation with the West.

In St Petersburg, officials and participants gathered under a sea of white, blue and red as the tricolour was honoured in a public event on Saturday.

State media broadcast pictures of volunteers distributing ribbons in the colours of the flag, while choirs performed patriotic songs and local authorities hailed the banner as a symbol of “unity and resilience”.

National Flag Day, established in the 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union, commemorates the adoption of the tricolour that replaced the hammer-and-sickle emblem.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the flag has been increasingly woven into pro-government rallies, school programmes and military commemorations, reinforcing official narratives about Russia’s historical mission and defiance of Western sanctions.

Analysts say such observances are meant to bolster public support and project normality, despite economic strain and battlefield losses. With independent voices largely sidelined, the Kremlin’s use of national symbols on days like these underscores how patriotism has become central to Russia’s political messaging at home and abroad.