citadel of Moscow, housing the offices of the Russian government

citadel of a Russian town

a term applied to the ancient fortified centers of many Russian towns

The inner fortress in old cities, enclosing government buildings and the cathedral. The Moscow Kremlin became associated with the seat of power during Muscovite times.

Kremlin (, ) is the Russian word for "fortress", "citadel", or "castle" and refers to any major fortified central complex found in historical Russian cities. This word is often used to refer to the best known one, the Moscow Kremlin, or the government that is based there. Outside Russia, the name "Kremlin" is sometimes mistakenly thought of as being Saint Basil's Cathedral because of its distinctive shape, although this is not a part of the Moscow Kremlin.