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Putin to meet IOC officials, athletes in Sochi ahead of Olympic Games

Russia's President is scheduled to speak at the 126th session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)

© EPA/Christian Charisius

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MOSCOW, February 03. /ITAR-TASS/. President Vladimir Putin will arrive in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi on February 4 ahead of the Olympic Winter Games to begin later this week, the presidential press service said on Monday, February 3.

Putin is scheduled to speak at the 126th session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), where he will have an opportunity to meet its members.

On February 5, Putin will visit the coastal Olympic Village, take part in the welcoming ceremony for the delegation of the Russian Olympic Committee and attend the flag hoisting ceremony. He will also talk with athletes and take a tour of the Olympic Village.

On February 6, the Russian president will have talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

He is also scheduled to meet with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev, and other foreign leaders.

The central event of the trip will be the official opening ceremony of the Olympic Games to begin at 20:14 Moscow time (GMT+04:00) on February 7. Some 40,000 people will attend the ceremony at the Fisht Stadium and more than three billion will watch it on television. Over 40 heads of state and government will be present at the opening ceremony in Sochi, to be preceded by an official reception to be given by the Russian president.

Overall, about 60 foreign leaders plan to attend the Olympic and Paralympic events in Sochi.

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