Presidential Library hosted screening of documentary film about symbols of presidential power

On the eve of the Day of Russia, 11 June 2025, the Presidential Library hosted a screening of the documentary film Symbols of Presidential Power, created by the library staff as part of the work on the large-scale project Presidential Chronicle.

On behalf of the Director General of the Presidential Library Yuri Nosov the greeting was read out by Igor Solonko, Director of the Department for Educational Work. The greeting says: "The screening of the film "Symbols of Presidential Power" is timed to one of the most important public holidays of our country - the Day of Russia. This film was not chosen by chance, because the symbols of presidential power are not just external attributes, they are a reflection of the centuries-old history of our country, its traditions and values".

Georgy Vilinbakhov, Chairman of the Heraldic Council under the President of the Russian Federation and State Herald Master, was one of the film's experts.

The film tells about the state symbols of the Russian Federation, the history of the creation of the flag and coat of arms, the State Heraldic Service, the symbols of presidential power - the standard and badge of the President of the Russian Federation, as well as a special copy of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the procedure of the inauguration of the President of Russia.

According to Georgy Vilinbakhov, in addition to the creation of the coat of arms and flag - the state symbols of Russia, it was necessary to develop the symbols of the head of state - virtually all countries with presidential power have a presidential standard, a symbol of personal presidential power.

In 1994, the standard (flag) of the President of the Russian Federation was approved in our country. Its description and image are given in the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of 15 February 1994 № 319, which is available on the portal of the Presidential Library. When the newly elected President of the Russian Federation takes office, the original standard is placed next to the head of state, and then is always in his office in the Senate Palace of the Moscow Kremlin. Duplicates of the standard are hoisted over the residence of the President of the Russian Federation in the Kremlin, as well as other residences during the stay of the head of state in them, are installed on his vehicles.

At the end of the inauguration procedure, the President of the Russian Federation is presented with another symbol of presidential power - the presidential badge, which exists in a single copy. The symbol is described in detail in the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 906 of 27 July 1999, available on the Presidential Library's portal. After taking the oath of office the symbol of the President of Russia is kept in the residence of the head of state in the Kremlin, its use is determined by the norms of state protocol.

Upon assuming office, the newly elected President of Russia takes the oath of office on a special copy of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which from 1996 to 2000 had the status of one of the three official symbols of presidential power. The text of the Constitution intended for taking the oath of office in the form of a special edition is made in a single copy and is in the personal library of the President of Russia in the Kremlin.

The exhibition hall of the Presidential Library at 3 Senatskaya Street keeps the only copy of the inaugural copy of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which was presented by the head of state on the opening day of the Presidential Library on 27 May 2009. It is possible to get acquainted with it thanks to the virtual tour presented on the institution's portal. An electronic copy of the Constitution with the amendments approved during the nationwide vote on 1 July 2020 is also available here.