Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law amending the official description of the state coat of arms to formally закрепить (fix) the presence of crosses above the crowns and the orb depicted on the emblem. The document entered into force upon its official publication.
Under the revised description, the small crowns, large crown, and the orb are defined as being topped with straight, equilateral four‑pointed crosses with expanding ends. The amendments were adopted by the State Duma on December 18 and approved by the Federation Council the following day.
Lawmakers supporting the changes said the amendments are intended to prevent distortions of Russia’s official symbols and to consolidate the historical appearance of the coat of arms. The initiative was backed by more than 400 deputies and followed public debate over earlier design changes in which traditional crosses had been replaced with stylized shapes.
The issue gained wider attention in 2025 after updated versions of state symbols appeared without traditional crosses, prompting criticism from public figures, cultural representatives, and religious groups. Earlier this year, additional legislation was adopted prohibiting the depiction of religious buildings without their associated symbols, reflecting broader efforts to standardize state imagery.
