In Vienna, at the February 23 session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, members of the Russian delegation were not allowed to lay flowers at the monument to the Soviet soldiers-liberators, this measure was explained by visa restrictions. This was announced by Dmitry Lyubinsky, the Russian Ambassador to Austria, reports DEA News.
According to the diplomat, when issuing visas, Russian delegates were required to sign a specific declaration that they pledged not to participate in any activity not included in the schedule of the parliamentary assembly.
“This unfortunately also affected our ceremony today,” said Lyubinsky.
The Ambassador also added that in connection with this, two wreaths were laid simultaneously at the monument to Soviet soldiers in Vienna, one from all diplomatic missions of the Russian Federation and the second from the delegation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin in the early hours of Defenders of the Fatherland Day laid Flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Alexander Garden in Moscow.
Defender of the Fatherland Day was established in the Russian Federation in 1992 in honor of the anniversary of the emergence of the Red Army, until 1993 this holiday was called “Day of the Soviet Army and Navy”. Earlier, the President celebrated the holiday of the Russian army.