Russia decorates 14 Serbian WWII veterans

BELGRADE - By a decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin, 14 Serbian World War II veterans have been decorated on occasion of Defender of the Fatherland Day, a national holiday in the Russian Federation.

Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Chepurin presented the decorations late Thursday at a ceremonial reception he hosted to mark the Defender of the Fatherland Day.

This holiday is a symbol of respect for the soldiers and the perseverance of the Russian military - the courage of Russian as well as Serbian soldiers was put to the test several times in our difficult and glorious history, Chepurin said.

He noted that the felt the love of the Serbian people for the armed forces on October 16 last year during what he said was an exceptional military parade in honour of the liberation of Belgrade.

Milan Runic, 88, a former Red Army tank crew member who entered Belgrade in October 1944 and went on to fight on the Syrmian Front, expressed his gratitude on behalf of those decorated.

As a Red Army veteran, Runic spent a year and a half on Goli otok as a political prisoner during the standoff between the former Yugoslavia and Stalin.

The reception was attended by Serbian Parliament Speaker Maja Gojkovic, ministers Bratislav Gasic, Velimir Ilic, Kori Udovicki and Aleksandar Vulin, Serbian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Ljubisa Dikovic, the head of the Serbian government office for Kosovo-Metohija Marko Djuric and representatives of religious communities, as well as many diplomats and public figures.

Photo Tanjug, D. Stankovic