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Turkmenistan’s president tells Putin cannot visit Russia for Victory Day Parade

Defense Minister Major General Begench Gundogdyev would lead the country’s delegation to Moscow

MOSCOW, June 19. /TASS/. Turkmenistan’s President Gurbankuly Berdimuhamedow informed Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call on Friday that he would be unable to visit Moscow for the Victory Day Parade since traditionally, he celebrates his birthday with the family and the nation.

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Turkmenistan’s state-owned news agency TDH reported on Friday that Defense Minister Major General Begench Gundogdyev would lead the country’s delegation to Moscow.

According to the news agency, Berdimuhamedow voiced regrets that he would not be able to attend the festivities in Moscow marking the 75th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory in World War Two and explained that he would turn 63 on June 29. In accordance with the established national traditions, birthdays should be celebrated with family and friends, as well as with the people of Turkmenistan.

Turkmenistan introduced quarantine measures amid coronavirus pandemic, so each individual needs to self-isolate for 14 days after returning from a foreign country.

The news agency pointed out that Berdimuhamedow wished Putin success in holding the festivities. Soldiers from Turkmenistan will take part in the parade on Red Square, and they have already arrived in Moscow. This year’s parade marking the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory in World War Two was rescheduled from May 9 to a later date for coronavirus fears. On May 26, Putin announced that the Victory Day Parade would take place on June 24, as the historic Victory Day Parade was held on the same date in 1945.

Turkmenistan remains the only post-Soviet republic that has not yet registered a single coronavirus case. Seeking to prevent infection transmission, the country introduced strict restrictions on entry and suspended international flights, while each individual arriving from abroad is ordered to stay quarantined. However, no restrictions were introduced inside the country.

In late December 2019, Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, in central China. Since then, cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe, including Russia. On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.

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