(in Russian)) Design2 = White with a blue saltire. Designer2 = Image3 = Flag of Russia 1991-1993.svg Nickname3 = ???????? Trikolor Tricolour Morenicks3 = Use3 = historical Symbol3 = Proportion3 = 1:2 Adoption3 = 22 August 1991; replaced by current version on 11 December 1993 Design3 = Rectangular tricolour with three equal-size horizontal bands: the upper one is white, the middle azure, and the lower scarlet Designer3 =

dynastic flag": the official national flag of the Russian Empire from 1858 to 1883.

The flag of Russia (lang-ru???? ??????, Flag Rossii), or officially, the State Flag of the Russian Federation (lang-ru??????????????? ???? ?????????? ?????????) is a tricolour flag of three equal horizontal fields, white on the top, blue in the middle and red on the bottom. The flag was first used as an ensign for merchant and war ships and only became official in 1896. The flag continued to be used by the Russian Provisional Government even after the Tsar (Tsar of Russia) was toppled in the February Revolution and was not replaced until the October Revolution which established a Bolshevik government. From that time period, a red flag charged with communist symbols was favoured over the tricolour. It was not until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 that the tricolour was brought back as the official flag of the new Russian Federation. The modern era flag underwent a slight change in 1993 and has been official since 2000.