President Al-Assad lays a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Red Square in Moscow

Moscow, (ST) – On first stop of his official visit to the Russian Federation, President Bashar Al-Assad and the accompanying delegation visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow and laid a wreath at the memorial.

President Al-Assad was received at the memorial by General Evgeny Seleznev, commander of the Moscow garrison and director of ceremonies for the Russian Foreign Ministry. A reception ceremony was held for the President, including a parade of the honor guard, while the official orchestra played the solemn music associated with the Unknown Soldier and the national anthem of the Syrian Arab Republic. President Al-Assad observed a minute of silence in memory of the fallen soldiers.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier symbolizes martyrdom in defense of the homeland, as well as the cities whose people showed examples of heroism in defending it.

The delegation accompanying President Al-Assad includes Dr. Faisal Al-Mikdad, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Mansour Azzam, Minister of Presidency Affairs, Dr. Muhammad Samer al-Khalil, Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade, General Ali Abbas, Minister of Defense, Dr. Kinan Yaghi, Minister of Finance, Dr. Fadi al-Khalil, Head of the State Planning Commission, and Dr. Qais. Khader, Secretary General of the Council of Ministers, Luna Al-Shibl, Special Adviser to the Presidency of the Republic, and Dr. Bashar Al-Jaafari, Ambassador of the Syrian Arab Republic to Moscow.

President Al-Assad arrived in Moscow yesterday evening on an official visit to the Russian Federation, during which he will hold talks with President Putin.

Raghda Sawas