Putin signs law protecting crosses on Russian state emblem PHOTO

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law formally enshrining the presence of crosses on the state emblem of Russia.

According to the official legal acts portal, the law specifies that the small crowns, the large crown, and the orb on the emblem are topped with equal-armed, four-pointed crosses with flared ends, Caliber.Az reports.

The legislation aims to prevent distortions of one of Russia’s official symbols. It formally preserves the historical appearance of the emblem and protects its elements from incorrect interpretations or modifications.

Earlier, in mid-December, the State Duma passed the law in its third reading. The move followed incidents in which crosses on institutional emblems or depictions of churches on banknotes were removed or replaced with stylised symbols. Such occurrences, dubbed “krestopad” (“crossfall”) in society, prompted the law to ensure the integrity of Russia’s official symbols.

By Khagan Isayev