MOSCOW, May 9 (Itar-Tass) — Right after attending the traditional Victory Day military parade on Red Square Wednesday morning, President Vladimir Putin had a very special reception in the Kremlin – he received a seven-year-old girl Sonya from the city of Pskov who is taking a course of treatment at the Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology Center in Moscow.
Prior to the meeting with the President, a Kremlin museum guide took Sonya and her parents on a tour of the Kremlin paying special attention to the most remarkable sights particularly loved by children, like the Czar Cannon and the Czar Bell.
The guide also presented Sonya with a twig of the famous Kremlin lilac.
The girl, who was somewhat reserved at the beginning, apparently began to feel at ease towards the second half of the tour. She especially liked the mantelpieces in the St Andrew’s hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace, looking into all of them and wondering why there was no burning firewood inside.
As the party walked through the Alexander hall, she noticed a huge chair of red velvet and climbed to it. Then she looked into an olden mirror on the wall and started scrutinizing her own reflection in it.
After that, Sonya and her parents proceeded to the Faceted Chamber of the Kremlin. Vladimir Putin was standing at the doors to welcome them.
“Hi Sonya, do you remember who I am?” Putin asked jokingly as he welcomed his guests. “Yes, I do,” she answered.
When they went inside, he invited them to have a cup of tea. “You’re quite a grownup lady,” he remarked watching how confidently she handled the tableware.
Sonya told the President she liked absolutely everything in the Kremlin. Her father said Wednesday was a special day in her life, since her dream of doing a tour of Moscow’s most remarkable sight had materialized.
Newsmen who accompanied Sonya’s family during the tour left the room in a few minutes so that Putin and his guests could continue their tea party in private.
Upon the end of the reception, reporters approached Sonya once again to ask her about the impressions. She told them Putin and her parents had spoken about needs of the Oncology Center for household appliances and other things.
The girl appeared to feel sympathetic with the President. “I’m afraid he’ll feel sick soon because everyone is demanding something from him all the time,” she said.
“It’s part of his job, that’s how it is,” a reporter said meaning that Putin occupies an especial position. “No it’s not, he is an ordinary person just like everyone else,” Sonya answered.