Flag of the president of Russia

Last modified: 2001-09-14 by antonio martins
Keywords: presidential flag | eagle: double-headed (golden) | fringe |
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• Description and usage of the flag
• Law text

• Russia

• Official webpage of the Russian Presidential Cabinet
• News photo showing the Kremlin dome top flag at half mast
  reported by Theodore Leverett

The Presidential standard was approved by President Boris Yeltsin on 15 February 1994, and provides a description: square with horizontal stripes of white, blue (siniy) and red and the Russian state arms in gold. The flag has a gold fringe and its staff is crowned by a metal spearpoint. A duplicate of the standard is raised on the dome of the Kremlin residence of the President, while the standard itself is permanently located in his official office, behind and to the left of his desk. The standard is displayed on means of Presidential transport, such as his aircraft or automobile, in a meeting hall where he is giving a major speech, and on warships or merchant ships that he is visiting.
Joe McMillan, 25 May 2000

Yeltsin approved the Standard with Decree No 319 on February,15, 1994. But last words of the letter "... and on warships or merchant ships that he is visiting.. " are very doubt. These words are absent in official text. When the president is on navy ship, another flag must be hoisted: analogous to Presidential Standart but with ratio 3:2. No fringes.
Victor Lomantsov, 26 May 2000

It flys from the pole of official residence of the President in the Kremlin (formerly, building of Senate; later, building of Government of the USSR). You can see the Presidential flag on this pole not only every day (if the president is present).
Victor Lomantsov, 11 May 2000

I witnessed more or less the same all times I was on the Red Square (some dozen times in the last five years, I guess): Sometimes it is there, sometimes the pole is empty — and I always assumed that is marks the president’s presence at the Kremlin.
António Martins, 19 May 2000

According to the official webpage of the Russian Presidential Cabinet, at, the presidential flag is supposed to have a fringe (dvuglavogo orl). However, this law (approved 1994.02.15) also states that a “duplicate” of the presidential flag should be hoisted on the presidential residence’s dome in the Kremlin, while the presidential flag itself should be placed on the presidential work cabinet, on the left side of the presidential chair. Now, the flag on the top of the Kremlin dome has no fringe at all — which is only wise for outdoor permanent display. Maybe the fringelessness is included in the expession «duplicate of the presidential flag», but the law is not explicit about this point. The presidential flag used indoors, located according to the law above is always fringed, as far as I can tell, forming actually a strange contrast against the national flag, located on the right side of the presidential chair, which has no fringe (and some times shows a different shade of blue!).
António Martins, 31 Aug 2000

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE
"ON STANDARD (FLAG) OF PRESIDENT OF RUSSIAN FEDERATION"

1. Determine that a main symbol of presidential power in RF is a standard (flag) of the President of RF.
2. Confirm a description of the standard (flag) - supplement No 1, and official drawing of the standard (flag) - supplement No 2
3. Determine that a location place of the standard is a presidential study in official presidential residence in capital of Russia, Moscow. A duplicate of the standard is raised upon the residence of the President in Moscow and upon other residences when the President is inside. The standard is displayed on Presidential transports.
4. The Decree take a power with publishing.

President of Russian Federation
B.Eltsin
Moscow, Kremlin February, 15, 1994
No 319

DESCRIPTION OF THE STANDARD (FLAG) OF THE PRESIDENT OF RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Supplement No 1 to Decree No319 from February, 15, 1994 The standard is a square banner with equal horizontal stripes of white, blue and red (state colours of Russia) and the state coat of arms of Russian Federation in gold. The flag has a gold fringe. There is a silver cramp on the staff with inscriptions (name of President and data of power). The staff is topped by a metal spearpoint.