July 17 — in St. Petersburg, in the St. Catherine Chapel of the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in the Peter and Paul Fortress, the remains of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II, his wife, three daughters, and four members of their retinue, killed in 1918, were laid to rest. In accordance with historical tradition, the remains of the emperor who had abdicated the throne were buried separately from the other monarchs.
On August 19, 1993, a criminal case was opened into the murder of the imperial family on July 17, 1918. The case was led by senior prosecutor-criminalist of the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Solovyov.
In October 1993, by order of the Government of the Russian Federation, a Commission was established to examine issues related to the study and reburial of the remains of Russian Emperor Nicholas II and members of his family. After genetic examinations were carried out, on January 30, 1998, the commission completed its work and concluded that the remains found in Yekaterinburg were those of Nicholas II, members of his family, and people close to them. On February 26, 1998, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church spoke in favor of the immediate burial of the remains of Emperor Nicholas II and members of his family in a symbolic memorial tomb.
And the next day, the Government of Russia decided to inter the remains of Nicholas II and members of his family in the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg on July 17, 1998 — on the 80th anniversary of the execution of the imperial family. On July 17 at 12:00, the burial ceremony began. President of Russia Boris Yeltsin delivered a speech.
Members of the Government of the Russian Federation, public figures, representatives of science and culture, and more than 60 members of the House of Romanov attended the ceremony.
At the moment of burial, an artillery salute of 19 volleys was fired.
On the same day, memorial services were held in all churches for Nicholas II and his family, who were innocently murdered.