Russian Unity Day celebrates the liberation of Moscow from Polish troops in 1612.
Unity Day (also known as the Day of National Unity) is a Russian public holiday celebrated on November 4.
It was established to commemorate the popular uprising against the Polish invasion that took place in 1616.
During the Soviet era, the anniversary of the October Revolution was one of the most important holidays in the country.
It was celebrated on November 7 due to the difference between the Julian/Old Style calendar and the Gregorian/New Style Calendar.
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, most former Soviet republics abolished the celebration of October Revolution Day.
In the Russian Federation, it was replaced by Unity Day.
Officially, November 4 was chosen to commemorate the 1612 uprising led by the merchant Kuzma Minin and nobleman Dmitry Pozharsky.
The new holiday was named Unity Day to emphasize the fact that people of different social classes united to protect their country from the foreign intervention.
