MOSCOW, February 5. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin kicked off the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia.
"I declare open the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia," he said during a ceremony at the Russia National Center.
Having completed his inaugural speech, the president and other participants chanted: "Russia!" several times in unison.
The presidential executive order to declare 2026 the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia in order to strengthen national unity, peace and harmony among the peoples of the Russian Federation was published in late December 2025.
Today’s ceremony was held as part of the large-scale educational marathon 'Russia — a family of families,' designed to highlight Russia’s cultural and ethnic diversity.