Putin visited Opera in Chersonese Music Festival.

Vladimir Putin and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev attended the Opera in Chersonese International Music Festival.

Vladimir Putin at the Opera in Chersonese International Music Festival. With Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

Prior to attending the festival, Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev visited St. Vladimir’s Cathedral on the territory of Chersonese. The abbot of the Cathedral gave President Putin and the Prime Minister a detailed account of the cathedral’s restoration. President Putin was also presented with an icon of Holy Great Prince Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles.

Putin met with scientists and public figures of Crimea

Vladimir Putin met with public figures, scientists and cultural workers of Sevastopol and the Republic of Crimea.

Russian President Vladimir Putin.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin:

Good afternoon,

We had a meeting a couple of years ago with a different, but a similar group of people. I will not give long monologues, but I must certainly make some sacral statements about the importance of Crimea, Sevastopol and this place where we are now – Chersonese – for Russia, its culture and its spiritual code in the direct sense of this word.

Putin visited the Tauric Chersonese Museum and Reserve

Vladimir Putin and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev visited the Khersones Tavrichesky State Historical Archaeological Museum and Reserve and heard about its development plans.

Vladimir Putin after his visit to the Tauric Chersonese Museum and Reserve.

The museum is one of the largest scientific centers where archaeologists are engaged in research and students are undergoing practical training. Khersones museum collection consists of over 214,000 items. Every year the museum draws tens of thousands of visitors.

Putin honored the memory of Sevastopol defenders

Vladimir Putin laid flowers at the memorial in honor of Sevastopol's defenders.

Vladimir Putin laying flowers at the memorial stele of the 35th Coastal Battery museum in Sevastopol.

Vladimir Putin and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev laid flowers at the memorial stele of the 35th Coastal Battery memorial museum, dedicated to the memory of soldiers of the Primorskaya (Coastal) Army and sailors of the Black Sea Fleet coastal units, who continued to defend the city after the main units of the Red Army left Sevastopol in mid-1942.