On Russia’s national day, President Vladimir Putin addressed the country, emphasising patriotic pride during what he described as a “difficult time” for Russia.
Speaking at a grand ceremony in the Kremlin, Putin did not directly comment on the recent developments in Ukraine, where Kyiv’s forces have launched a long-awaited counteroffensive, reclaiming several villages in the eastern Donetsk region.
The Day of Russia commemorates the country’s declaration of sovereignty in 1990, when it was still part of the Soviet Union. This declaration asserted Russia’s autonomy and the precedence of its own laws over Soviet legislation.
The event is regarded as a significant step in Russia’s constitutional reform process, leading to its independence following the collapse of the USSR in 1991.
