June 12 is celebrated as Russia Day, a day that was established by President Yeltsin after the creation of the Russian Federation in the aftermath of the breakup of the Soviet Union. President Putin made comments on the occasion as he awarded major Russian citizens for their achievements in science, literature, and culture.
Introducing the ceremony, Putin said: “We are celebrating this holiday with warmth and affection for our Motherland, with pride for grand achievements in industry and military service by many generations of our ancestors, with respect for key events in Russian history and, of course, with understanding that all stages in our state’s evolution over 1,000 years form a single journey.
