The following is the list of official public holidays recognized by the Government of Russia. On these days, government offices, embassies, schools, companies and some shops, are closed. If the date of observance falls on a weekend, the following Monday will be a day off in lieu of the holiday.

Major national holidays

New Year Holiday In addition to New Year's Day (Новый год, Novy god) on 1 January, 2–5 January are public holidays as well,Article 112, Public holidays - Labor Code of the Russian Federation. (Russian) Retrieved on June 6, 2013 called New Year holiday (, novogodniye kanikuly). The holiday includes 6 and 8 January, with Christmas being 7 January, declared as non-working days by law. Until 2005, only 1 and 2 January were public holidays.Article 112 . Non-working holidays (English version). International Labour Organization. Retrieved on June 6, 2013

Orthodox Christmas

Christmas in Russia (Рождество Христово, Rozhdestvo Khristovo) is celebrated on 25 December (Julian calendar) which falls on 7 January (Gregorian calendar) and commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. The public holiday was re-established in 1991, following the decades of suppression of religion and state atheism of the Soviet Union.

Defender of the Fatherland Day

The Defender of the Fatherland Day (День защитника Отечествa, Den zashchitnika Otechestva) is celebrated on 23 February and is dedicated to veterans and service personnel of the Russian Armed Forces, though it is often colloquially known as Men's Day (День Мужчин, Den' Muzhchin) and commonly treated as a celebration of all men.

International Women's Day

On the eve of World War I campaigning for peace, Russian women observed their first International Women's Day on the last Sunday in February 1913. In 1913 following discussions, International Women's Day was transferred to 8 March, which has remained the global date for International Women's Day ever since.

Spring and Labour Day

In the former Soviet Union, 1 May was International Workers' Day and was celebrated with huge parades in cities like Moscow. Though the celebrations are low-key nowadays, several groups march on that day to protest grievances the workers have. Since 1992, May Day is officially called "The Day of Spring and Labour".

Victory Day

On 9 May, Russia celebrates the victory over Nazi Germany, while remembering those who died in order to achieve it. On 9 May 1945 (by Moscow time) the German military surrendered to the Soviet Union and the Allies of World War II in Berlin (Karlshorst). Victory Day (День Победы, Den Pobedy) is by far one of the biggest Russian holidays. It commemorates those who died in World War II and pays tribute to survivors and veterans. Flowers and wreaths are laid on wartime graves and special parties and concerts are organized for veterans. In the evening there is a firework display. A large ground and air military parade, hosted by the President of the Russian Federation, is annually organized in Moscow on Red Square. Similar ground, air and marine (if possible) parades are organized in several other Russian cities, primarily those which are Hero Cities or have military districts or a fleet.

Russia Day

Russia Day (День России, Den Rossii) is celebrated on 12 June. On this day, in 1991, the Russian parliament formally declared Russian sovereignty from the Soviet Union. The holiday was officially established in 1992.

Initially it was named Day of the Adoption of the Declaration of Sovereignty of the Russian Federation, then on 1 February 2002 it was officially renamed Russia Day (in 1998 Boris Yeltsin offered this name socially).

In Russian society there is a misconception that this holiday is also called "Russia's Independence Day", but it never has had such a name in official documents. According to a survey by Levada Center in May 2009, 44% of respondents named the holiday as "Independence Day of Russia".

Unity Day

Unity Day (День народного единства, Den narodnogo edinstva) was first celebrated on 4 November 2005, commemorating the popular uprising led by Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky which ended the Polish occupation of Moscow in November 1612, and more generally the end of Polish intervention in Russia and the Time of Troubles. The event was marked by a public holiday which was held in Russia on 22 October (Old Style) from 1649 till 1917. Its name alludes to the idea that all the classes of Russian society willingly united to preserve Russian statehood when its demise seemed inevitable, even though there was neither a Tsar nor Patriarch to guide them. Most observers view this as a replacement for the October Revolution Day. National Unity Day is also known as Consolidation Day (as an alternative translation), which people in Russia celebrate between 3-4 November.

List of other public holidays, commemorative and professional days Date English name Original name Notes12 JanuaryProsecutor General's DayHonoring the 1772 foundation of the office of the Prosecutor General of Russia 25 JanuaryTatiana DayCelebrated as (University) Students' Day 15 FebruaryInternational Duties Memorial DayHonoring all those who served in the 1979–1989 Soviet–Afghan War and in assisting and helping Warsaw Pact armed services during the Cold War or serving in various other military actions abroad, e.g. Vietnam27 FebruaryDay of Special Operations ForcesHonoring the active and reserve personnel, heroes and veterans of the Special Operations Forces and commemorating establishment of Russian control in Crimea in 2014День сил специальных операций в России RIA Novosti, 27 February 2018.25 MarchCultural Worker DayHonoring people involved in the cultural sector21 AprilLocal Self-Government Day26 AprilMemorial Day for those lost in radiation accidents and catastrophes Anniversary of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster27 AprilDay of Russian Parliamentarismcommemorates the first session of Russia's first-ever State Duma in 19066 JuneDay of the Russian LanguagePrior to 2011, Pushkin Day honoring Alexander Puskhin, now honors the Russian Language8 JuneSocial Worker DayEnacted in 20003rd Sunday of JuneMedical Worker DayДень медицинского работникаHas been celebrated since 1988 in USSRLast Sunday of JulyNavy DayHonoring the active and reserve personnel, heroes and veterans of the Russian Navy29 JunePartisans and Underground Fighters Day Holiday enacted in 2009, honoring the 1941 decree on the raising of the first units of the Soviet partisans by the Council of People's Commissariats1st Sunday of AugustRailway Workers' Day Holiday commemorating the achievements of the railways sector1 AugustDay of Remembrance of Russian Soldiers Who Fell in World War IHoliday enacted in 20136 AugustRussian Railway Troops DayHonoring all the active and reserve personnel, heroes, fallen and veterans of the Russian Railway Troops12 AugustRussian Air Force DayHonoring the active and reserve personnel, heroes and veterans of the Russian Air Force2nd Saturday of AugustSports Day Holiday commemorating the achievements of the nation's sportsmen and women, coaches, judges, sports officials and youth and disabled athletes2nd Sunday of AugustBuilders' Day Holiday commemorating construction workers.22 AugustState Flag DayEnacted in 1994, commemorating the 1991 resolution to restore the white–blue–red tricolor as national flag by the supreme soviet of the Russian SFSR27 AugustFilms and Movies DayHonoring people involved in one of the world's oldest national film industries13 SeptemberProgrammer Dayprofessional day29 SeptemberDay of Machine-Building industry workersprofessional holiday1 OctoberRussian Ground Forces DayHonors those serving, the heroes, fallen and veterans of the Russian Ground Forces on the day of the raising of the first units of the legendary Streltsy by Ivan the Terrible in 15504 OctoberRussian Aerospace Defense Forces DayThe anniversary of the 1957 launch of Sputnik that opened the way to the Space Age23 OctoberDay of Advertisement industry Workersprofessional holiday, enacted in 199424 OctoberDay of Special Forces of the Armed ForcesMemorial, enacted in 2006, honoring the 1950 raising of the first Spetsnaz companies25 OctoberDay of Customs WorkersEnacted in 199529 OctoberDay of MVD Security servicesEnacted in 1952 by government decree30 OctoberDay of Remembrance of the Victims of Political RepressionsEnacted in 1991, honors the victims of the Imperial and Soviet era political repressions31 OctoberDay of the Detention Centers and Prisons WorkersEnacted in 200610 NovemberPolice and Internal Affairs Servicemen's DayHonoring all those serving in the Police of Russia and all those working in the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Russia)19 NovemberDay of the Missile Forces and ArtilleryEnacted on 21 October 1944, to commemorate the artillery strikes and bombardment at the Battle of Stalingrad of 19 November 194228 NovemberNaval Infantry DayHonoring the 1705 date of the raising of the first units of today's Russian Naval Infantry by orders of Peter the Great9 DecemberDay of Heroes of the FatherlandOn 25 January 2007, the day before the consideration of the bill, Boris Gryzlov, Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation and Chairman of the Supreme Council of the United Russia party, explained in his interview to journalists that "We are talking about the restoration of the holiday that existed in pre-revolutionary Russia - the Day of the Cavaliers of St. George, which was celebrated on 9 December. The same date will be assigned to the Day of Heroes of the Fatherland, who deserve to have their own holiday."

This memorial date was established by the State Duma of the Russian Federation on 26 January 2007, when the Russian parliamentarians adopted the relevant bill in the first reading. The explanatory note to the document stated the following: "we not only pay tribute to the memory of heroic ancestors, but also honor the living Heroes of the Soviet Union, Heroes of the Russian Federation, holders of the Order of St. George and the Order of Glory." In the same place, the authors of the bill expressed the hope that a new memorial date for Russia would contribute to "the formation in society of the ideals of selfless service to the Fatherland."

On 21 February 2007, this initiative was approved by the Federation Council.

On 28 February 2007, the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, approved it.17 DecemberStrategic Missile Troops DayEnacted in 1995 to commemorate the establishment of the strategic missile forces on 17 December 1959

Popular holidays which are not public holidays New Year according to Julian Calendar on 14 January Tatiana Day (Students Day) on 25 January Valentine's Day on 14 February Maslenitsa (a week before the Great Lent) Start date changes every year, depending on the beginning of the Great Lent (in 2022: 27 February to 6 March) Internal Troops and National Guard Servicemen's Day on 27 March Annunciation on 7 April Pascha (floating Sunday between 4 April and 8 May) Cosmonautics Day on 12 April Soviet Air Defense Forces Day on the second Sunday of April Russian State Fire Service Day on 30 April Radio Day on 7 May Saints Cyril and Methodius' Day on 24 May (also Slavonic Literature and Culture Day) Border Guards Day on 28 May, celebrating the anniversary of the Border Service of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation Ivan Kupala Day on 7 July (should be 24 June, St. John's Day and Summer Solistice, but shifted due to Julian calendar usage) Day of Remembrance and Sorrow on 22 June, marking the start of Operation Barbarossa — the Nazi invasion of the USSR Paratroopers' Day on 2 August Apple Feast of the Saviour on 19 August (also the Great Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus) Great Feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God on 28 August Knowledge Day on 1 September (traditionally, the first day of school) Day of Tankmen on the second Sunday of September Father's Day on the third Sunday of October