MOSCOW, October 24. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who have been in Kazan for three days, spoke for a few minutes before the photo ceremony at the outreach/BRICS Plus Summit, a TASS correspondent reported.

Representatives of BRICS countries gathered today at the Kazan Expo International Exhibition Center. It took a few minutes for nearly 40 participants to take their places for the traditional photograph. Putin and Xi Jinping used this time to converse animatedly via an interpreter. The Russian leader also spoke with his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa.

The summit participants lined up in three rows for the photo ceremony. The president of Russia, the country chairing this year's BRICS Summit, took the central position in the front row, with the Chinese leader to his right.

The participants then moved to the conference room, with Putin and Xi Jinping walking together, continuing their discussion and sharing laughter.