Ensign of the Russian Navy

Russian Navy
Proportion	2:3
Adopted	1712

The Russian Navy ensign (Russian: Андреевский флаг; Russian Pre-reform: Андреевскій флагъ), also known as the St Andrews's flag, was the ensign of the Navy of the Russian Empire (from 1712 to 1918), and is the naval flag of the Russian Federation and the banner of the Navy of the Russian Federation since 1992.

The flag has a white background with two blue diagonal bands, forming a saltire, called St Andrew's Cross. The ratio of the flag's width to its length is 1 / 1.5, the width of the blue band is 1 / 10 the length of the flag.

The Guard Ribbon and image of order awarded to the ship can be added to the flag.

History

In 1698 Peter I the Great established the first Russian medal, the Order of St Andrew, which is to be awarded for military exploits and public service. When he became tsar, he started to devise a flag for the Russian Navy. The symbolism of the flag is a tribute to his father, Alexey Mikhaylovich Romanov who established a special flag for the first Russian naval vessel, the three-masted frigate Oryol.

From 1692 to 1712 Peter I personally drew eight proposed flags that have consistently been taken into the Navy. Description of the flag's final version by Peter I:

The flag is white, across it there is St Andrew's blue cross, with which he baptized Russia.

Original Text (Orthography and font (ru) are also original):

Флагъ бѣлый, поперекъ этого имѣется синїй Андреевскїй крестъ, коимъ Россїю окрестилъ онъ.

After the Russian revolution, the Russian Navy Ensign was changed, but it was used by the White Army up to 1924. The flag of St Andrew was reintroduced in the Russian Navy in 1992, and is still used today.

History

See also