The Russia Day holiday marks the country's 1990 declaration of sovereignty, more than a year before the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sharply criticized US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's greetings on Russia Day, which triggered a negative response in Ukraine. He said the day symbolizes Russia's independence,

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated the Russian people on June 12, Russia's National Day, and expressed a desire for "constructive engagement" to bring peace to Ukraine. "On behalf of the American people,