Moscow Kremlin presents grand welcome to Sri Lankan Army Chief

The Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Land Forces, General of the Army Oleg Salyukov of the Russian Ministry of Defence, on Monday (25) morning, formally extended a warm reception to his Sri Lankan counterpart Commander of the Army/Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva, who is now in Moscow on the invitation of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Land Forces.

Considered to be one of the highest honours presented in recent times, the formal and elegant Guard of Honour parade with four squads of the Russian Land Forces, together with a Russian Army band distinctively featured the significance and the recognition the Russian Land Forces attach to the visiting military dignitary from Sri Lanka. Next, the Army Chief paid a visit to the war heroes’ monument at Alexandrovsky Garden of Moscow Kremlin to pay floral tribute to the fallen Russian war heroes.

The two Army Chiefs had cordial discussions on wide-ranging matters of mutual interests, bilateral importance, including further enhancement of training slots for Sri Lankan tri-service personnel, the conduct of joint military exercises, and the exchange of knowledge on mechanical and engineering technologies etc.

During General Shavendra Silva's stay in the Russian Federation, he is scheduled to visit the Moscow Higher Combined Arms Command School and meet with its Commandant – Major General Roman Binyukov, Division Commander of the 4th Guards Tank Division in Naro-Fominsk and the Commandant at Mikhailovskaya before he visits the Military Artillery Academy, Military Medical Academy and several other places of military and tourist importance.

In February 2020, during a formal visit to Sri Lanka, General of the Army Oleg Salyukov extended an open invitation for this visit. However, the visit had to be indefinitely postponed due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and General Shavendra Silva's commitment to its control as Head of the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak in Sri Lanka.