Vladimir Putin congratulated citizens of Russia on the national holiday and presented state decorations to foreign citizens for their contribution to strengthening friendship and cooperation with Russia and for retaining and popularising the Russian language and culture in other countries.

Public figure and head of the Greater Chernobyl Cause charity organisation Fiona Corcoran (Ireland), public figure and philanthropist Yoko Nagae Ceschina (Japan), and researcher from the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economies Karl Lennart Samuelson (Sweden) were awarded the Order of Friendship.

Director of the Centre for Russian Culture Studies at the Ca’ Foscari University Silvia Burini (Italy), Rector of the Danubius Institute, Head of World History Chair, Faculty of Philosophy, at the Comenius University in Bratislava Miroslav Danis (Slovakia), General Director of the Pushkin House Russian Culture and Education Centre Sun-Min Kim (Republic of Korea), and CEO of Berhan International PLC medical clinic Tebebe Yemane Berhan (Ethiopia) were awarded the Pushkin Medal.

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Source: Kremlin website, Nov. 4, 2014