"The Patriotic Song" (Russian: Патриотическая песня, romanized: Patrioticheskaya Pesnya, IPA: [pətrʲɪɐˈtʲitɕɪskəjə ˈpʲesʲnʲə]) was the national anthem of Russia from 1991 to 2000. It was previously the regional anthem of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic from 1990 until 1991 (until 1990 it used the State Anthem of the Soviet Union), when it transformed into the Russian Federation after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Unlike most national anthems, it had no official lyrics (although unofficial ones written for it were proposed, they were not adopted).

Patrioticheskaya Pesnya originally was not a song but a composition for piano without lyrics, written by Mikhail Glinka (1804–1857) and titled (in French) «Motif de chant national». The song has been known under its current title of "The Patriotic Song" since 1944,^[1] after Glinka's composition was arranged for orchestra by composer Mikhail Bagrinovsky [ru] under that name, popularizing it and leading it to become synonymous with Glinka's original work itself.^[2]

"Patrioticheskaya Pesnya" originally was not a song but a composition for piano without lyrics, written by Mikhail Glinka in 1833 and titled (in French) «Motif de chant national». It was often claimed that it was written by Glinka as part of a national anthem contest or with the intent of becoming a national anthem,^[4] though evidence for either claim is scant. In 1885, Glinka's manuscript was re-discovered after languishing in obscurity at the Russian National Library in St. Petersburg. In 1944 it was arranged for orchestra by composer Mikhail Bagrinovsky [ru] under the title "Patrioticheskaya Pesnya"^[5] and a few years later, poet Alexei Mashistov [ru] set lyrics to Bagrinovsky's arrangement of Glinka's composition for a song dedicated to the Soviet capital of Moscow, both of which helped popularize Glinka's work among the Soviet public and gave it its common contemporary moniker.^[5]

The TV news program on USSR Central Television Vremya used it as its theme tune from 1984 to 1986.

In the 1990s, Boris Yeltsin chose the tune as the new state anthem of the Russian SFSR and it was officially adopted as such on 23 November 1990 by the Supreme Soviet of Russia.^[3] It remained in de facto usage through inertia by the new Russian Federation from 1991 until its official confirmation as the state's national anthem in 1993 when the Russian constitution was enacted.^[6] Also favored by the Russian Orthodox Church, the music went without lyrics for several years. In 1999, Viktor Radugin won a contest to provide suitable words for it with his poem Sláv'sya, Rossíya! (Russian: Сла́вься, Росси́я!, lit. 'Be glorious, Russia!'). However, no lyrics and none of the entries were ever adopted.

It reportedly proved to be unpopular with the Russian public and with many politicians and public figures, because of its tune and lack of lyrics, and consequently its inability to inspire Russian athletes during international competitions.^[7]

It was replaced soon after Yeltsin's successor as President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, first took office on 7 May 2000. The federal legislature established and approved the music of the National Anthem of the Soviet Union, with newly written lyrics, in December 2000.^[7] Yeltsin criticized Putin for supporting the semi-reintroduction of the Soviet-era national anthem, although some opinion polls showed that many Russians favored this decision.^[8]

Today, the song is used by some elements of the Russian opposition as a political anthem.^[9][10] It is also sometimes erroneously played during sporting events involving Russia.^{[11][12][13][14][15]}

• National anthem of Russia (Officially State Anthem of the Russian Federation)
• State Anthem of the Soviet Union
• God Save the Tsar!