The Russian Minister of Defense presented Lukashenko with a set of Soviet awards and conveyed warm words from Putin

Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov presented Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko with a set of Soviet awards that were given for military merits during the Great Patriotic War, a BELTA correspondent reports.

The gift is a panel on which full-size copies of Soviet Union awards are mounted. The set is called "Awards of the Winners." "This is a copy of all the combat awards of the Soviet Union. They are very well made, starting with the Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union," said Andrei Belousov.

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"Andrei Removich, as I understand it, you will award me with all the awards at once today," Alexander Lukashenko remarked with a touch of humor, greeting the guest at the Palace of Independence.

"Certainly, yes," Andrei Belousov replied. "First of all, I wanted to convey the warmest words from President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. I spoke with him literally tonight."

"We spoke with him the day before yesterday about this (referring to Andrei Belousov's visit to Belarus. - BELTA note)," Alexander Lukashenko noted.

He continued: "He said many warm words that I must convey to you. But the essence is that, of course, we have more than just friendship. We are already so closely connected that we understand each other almost without words."

"Thank you. We will place this. A very good idea. All the awards have been made," Alexander Lukashenko thanked him for the gift.

Among the awards on the panel are the Order of Victory, the Orders of the Red Banner and the Red Star, and the Order of the Patriotic War. Also displayed are awards such as the Orders of Suvorov, Kutuzov, Bogdan Khmelnitsky, and others.

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