28/7 Tass 177
MOSCOW, July 28 (Itar-Tass) — President Dmitry Medvedev has congratulated laureates of state awards in the Grand Kremlin Palace on Thursday.
The president t thanked the laureates for high artistic and professional accomplishments which brought them not only personal success, but brought success to the whole country. “There are years of hard work and very courageous and highly moral deeds behind these awards,” Medvedev stressed.
He reminded of the 1,150th anniversary since the formation of Russian statehood due next year and praised serious cultural, labor and martial traditions created throughout centuries in Russia. These traditions were created by many generations who loved their country and helped it develop, he said. ” I am confident that all those present realize their own responsibility to our very big and beautiful Motherland,” Medvedev told the victory ceremony.
The president expressed special gratitude to one of Russia’s best test pilots Sergei Bogdan awarded a high title of Hero of Russia for his contribution to the development of Russian Air Force.
Medvedev also congratulated former defense minister of the Soviet Union Marshal Sergei Sokolov, who recently celebrated his hundredth birthday, but despite his advanced age still works as an advisor at the Russian Defense Ministry.
The president also expressed personal gratitude to expert of the Russian Federal Agency for Nuclear Power Galina Kazakova who helped prevent radioactive contamination and ecological catastrophe and was awarded the Order of Valor.
Addressing the laureates, Medvedev personally congratulated several winners of high state awards, including Itar-Tass Director General Vitaly Ignatenko awarded the Order of Merit of the Second degree, Duma Vice-Speaker Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Composer Oskar Feltsman, actresses Vera Vasilyeva and Anastasia Vertinskaya, singer Diana Gurtskaya and others.