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Putin presents highest state award to Belarusian president

The Russian leader signed a decree on awarding the order to Lukashenko on August 30, when the Belarusian leader turned 70

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko Alexander Shcherbak/TASS

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko

© Alexander Shcherbak/TASS

MOSCOW, October 9. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has presented the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle - the nation’s highest state award - to his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko.

The ceremony was held in the Kremlin's St. Andrew’s Hall. Putin laid the order’s chain upon Lukashenko’s shoulders; the two leaders shook hands and embraced each other.

Putin signed a decree on awarding the order to Lukashenko on August 30, when the Belarusian leader turned 70. The decree states that he was awarded for his outstanding achievements in developing allied relations and strategic partnership between the two countries and strengthening friendship between the two fraternal nations, as well as for his personal contribution to the effective operation of the Union State of Russia and Belarus.

Russian-Belarusian talks took place before the award ceremony.

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