Design and symbolism. The Soviet Union's flag was a basic red flag with a gold hammer crossed with a gold sickle under a gold-bordered red star. This emblem may be seen in the red flag's top left canton. It replaced the old Russian flag after the 1917 Revolution. The first Soviet government adopted a white flag with a red border as its national flag. This flag was used until it was replaced by the current red flag with a gold border and a red star in 1922. The former USSR flags were 24 inches by 36 inches, while the current one is 33 inches by 54 inches. There are several theories on how the red flag with a black star came to be. One theory is that it represents the blood spilled during the French Revolution. Another theory is that it represents darkness turning into light or night becoming day. A third theory is that it represents death giving way to life or destruction of slavery. However, there is no clear explanation as to why it has eight points instead of the usual nine. Soviet soldiers were taught to salute the red flag. If someone did not do so, he was given a punishment called "falling under the flag's spell". This meant that he had become loyal to the country's new ideology and was punished by being sent to a labor camp or executed by firing squad.