LAUNCHING OF “RUSSIA TODAY” MAGAZINE AT THE ROYAL PALACE

Belgrade, 22 December 2009 – With support of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Alexander II and under auspices of H.E. Mr. Alexander Konuzin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Serbia, the Magazine “Russia Today” was officially launched tonight at the Royal Palace.

This luxurious monthly edition magazine with more than 300 pages is devoted to Russia, its culture, history, arts, fashion, sports, politics and all topics of interest related to Russia Today. It is the first magazine in the world published in a language that is not Russian with the aim to comprehensively present Russia today.

On behalf of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Alexander II, Mr. Dragomir Acovic and Mr. Dusan Babac, members of the Privy Council welcomed the guests and wished them much success with the new magazine. H.E. Mr. Alexander Konuzin, Ambassador of Russian Federation to Serbia spoke about the importance of this project for Russia and for the development of the traditionally excellent relations between Russia and Serbia, Montenegro and Republika Srpska, where the magazine will be distributed.

H.E. Mr. Alexander Konuzin, also spoke about his vision of the future development of this project, and presented the first issue which will include articles about Puskin, Medvedev, Mihalkov, Putin, Patriarch Kirill, Gagarin, but also Momo Kapor, Leonid Sejka, Petar Skundric, Slava Vladisavlic, Mateja Kezman.

Head of Russian Orthodox Church in Serbia Archpriest – Staurophor Vitaliy Tarasjev warmly thanked HRH Crown Prince Alexander for his hospitality and reminded that Crown Prince Alexander’s grandfather, HM King Alexander I gave refugee to many Russian artists, and hired some of them, like Nikolai Krasnov, to paint the basement of the Royal Palace. Guests had the opportunity to view an exhibition about the long and close Serbia –Russian relations through history. Among many, they could see items of the Russian Department of the Military Museum as well as a collection of icons from the Russian Orthodox Church in Belgrade and two paintings from the art collection of the Royal Palace (Ivan Konstantinovich Ivasovsky “Christ walking on water” and Alexei Hansen “Sea landscape”).