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Putin had no set plans to attend Elizabeth II’s funeral, Kremlin affirms

Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov recalls that Putin have sent a telegram of condolences over the Queen’s passing

MOSCOW, September 14. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin did not originally plan to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain or other memorial ceremonies when news broke about her death, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

Asked whether Moscow had not received an invitation to attend the funeral service for the British monarch, Peskov said: "The president had no original plans to take part in any memorial or any other ceremonies originally." He recalled that Putin had sent a telegram of condolences over the Queen’s passing.

On Tuesday, PA reported, citing a source, that the British government had not extended invitations to the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II to representatives of Russia, Belarus and Myanmar. Earlier, among other people, US President Joe Biden and his wife Jill, Italian President Sergio Mattarella, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, as well as King Felipe VI and his wife Queen Letizia of Spain confirmed that they would come.

Elizabeth II died in Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, aged 96. Her reign that lasted 70 years and seven months was the longest ever in British history. Her son Charles, 73, will rule as King Charles III. ​

The funeral service for the late Queen Elizabeth II will take place in London’s Westminster Abbey on September 19.