The current national flag of Belarus was adopted on June 7, 1995 replacing a different design that had served since independence from the Soviet Union. The newer flag is similar to the one that was used by Belarus when it was part of the Soviet Union [1], with the omission of the hammer and sickle. The decorative pattern on the left edge is a traditional Belorussian pattern, while the red is supposed to symbolize the blood spilt by the defenders of Belarus. The green is for the forests of the nation.