Excerpts from a RIA Novosti online conference...

Question: Who established the Russian state awards?

Answer: The Order of St. Andrew the First Called - Russia's first award - was established by Peter the Great. Russia also owes the appearance of its medals to him.

Q: What are Russia's national symbols?

A: We have the national anthem, flag and coat-of-arms. Every country has a verbal designation - that is, its name; a symbolic one - the flag and coat-of-arms; and a musical one - the anthem. These symbols occasionally go together, but it is more correct to use each independently.

Q: When did the Russian anthem, flag and coat-of-arms take final shape?

A: In the 19th century, as in many other countries. Coats-of-arms are the oldest symbols in the majority of countries. The flags appeared later on, and the anthems followed.

Q: Why did Russia adopt a two-headed eagle for its coat-of-arms?

A: As the Duchy of Muscovy finally acquired independence toward the end of the 15th century,

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