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Russians celebrate Unity Day online amid pandemic

The holiday commemorates the events of 1612, when people’s militias led by merchant Kuzma Minin and Prince Dmitry Pozharsky liberated Moscow from Polish invaders

MOSCOW, November 4. /TASS/. On Wednesday, November 4, Russians celebrate the National Unity Day - most of the events in 2020 will be held online.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has laid flowers at the monument to Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky in Moscow’s Red Square. The flower laying ceremony traditionally takes place on National Unity Day. Russian citizens should know their rights, but also remember their responsibilities and a sense of duty to the Motherland, he said.

"Rights and responsibilities must be in harmony with each other. It would be difficult for our entire society to exist without it," Putin said. He noted that citizens should know their rights and demand their implementation from the state, but each person also has responsibilities.

Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev congratulated the Russians on National Unity Day, noting that this holiday has become a symbol of respect for the rich history of the country. "National unity for us is not only a beautiful metaphor, but also the basis for the existence of our multi-confessional and multi-ethnic people," he wrote on his VKontakte social network page.

National Unity Day is one of the youngest national holidays in Russia. It was established in 2005, replacing the Day of Accord and Reconciliation, which had been celebrated on November 7 since 1996. The holiday commemorates the events of 1612, when people’s militias led by merchant Kuzma Minin and Prince Dmitry Pozharsky liberated Moscow from Polish invaders.

On this day, concerts, fairs and other kinds of celebrations take place across the country. The Russian president presents state awards to prominent cultural workers and foreign nationals who contribute to friendship and cultural ties with Russia.

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