Russia celebrated the 350th birthday of Peter the Great, one of its most famous tsars, on Thursday.
Celebrations were held in Peter’s namesake city St. Petersburg and Moscow to mark the anniversary of his birth on June 9, 1672.
A pivotal figure in the country’s history, Peter led efforts to modernize Russia, expand its territory and bring it closer to the West.
But over three centuries after his birth, Russia appears more isolated from the Western world than at almost any other time due to its invasion of Ukraine — and the “window to Europe” that Peter sought to open is now all but closed.
Here’s a look at some of the birthday celebrations that took place:
