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Russia's Upper House Approves Soviet-Era Anthem
Russia's Federation Council, the upper house of parliament, voted on Wednesday to restore music of Soviet-Era Anthem as its national anthem.
The body also approved a twin-headed eagle and tricolor white, blue and red flag, which date from tsarist times, as Russia's official state symbols.
The measures, contained in three separate bills, all cleared the 134-vote hurdle they needed to be forwarded to President Vladimir Putin for signature into law.
The laws are constitutional measures and thus needed a three-quarters majority.The anthem won 144 votes and the eagle and flag 139 in the 178-member upper chamber.
The legislation passed on Wednesday provides Russia with an official coat of arms, flag and anthem for the first time since 1991.
A national competition is to be held to find new words for the Alexandrov tune, although poet Sergei Mikhalkov, who wrote the original words in 1943, has drafted a new text which has support in the Kremlin.
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