June 12 is a special day for country – we celebrate one of the most remarkable state holidays – Russia day. This date is twice memorable: June 12, 1990 The First Congress of Peoples' Deputies of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic passed the Declaration of Russian state sovereignty, and a year later, June 12, 1991 Russia saw the first nation-wide direct open elections of the president, Boris Yeltsin winning with more than 57% of popular vote. June 12 was declared a state holiday in 1994 and was initially called Independence Day. The day was officially renamed to Russia Day only in 2002, though 42% of respondents still think June 12 is Independence Day and 5% do not consider it a holiday at all.
