2nd March 2016
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Russia has many great educational institutions and the North West Federal District is home to a number of these. I was fortunate enough to visit two in St Petersburg and one in Kaliningrad in the past few weeks. All three were impressive and keen to develop links with the UK. I was struck by the […]
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4th February 2016
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
I was delighted to accompany the new British Ambassador to Russia, Laurie Bristow, to an event to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Anglo-Russian Hospital in St Petersburg on 30 January. The fascinating story of the hospital is another fine example of the importance of people to people contacts between British and Russian people during the […]
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25th January 2016
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
I was delighted to host our annual Burns Supper at the consulate in St Petersburg on 23 January. It was a truly international evening with guests from Russia, the USA, Norway, the Netherlands and New Zealand joining us to celebrate the birthday of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns. We enjoyed eating haggis, Scottish dancing and […]
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23rd December 2015
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
The Russian Polar Convoy Club of St Petersburg celebrated its 20th anniversary on 19 December. We were delighted that five British veterans of the Arctic Convoys, all in their 90s, travelled from the UK and US (two emigrated after WWII) to participate in anniversary events. A packed three day programme included wreath laying at Piskariovskoye […]
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8th December 2015
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
I visited Arkhangelsk in late November as part of our annual visits to the cemeteries in North West Russia where British and Allied servicemen died during World War One, World War Two and the Allied Intervention period of 1918-19. Please see my recent blog about the visit to Murmansk by the Ambassadors of the UK, Australia, […]
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30th November 2015
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
St Andrew’s Day will be celebrated in St Petersburg, Moscow and other cities across Russia on 30 November. Both Moscow and St Petersburg have hosted annual St Andrew’s Day balls for many years and will do so again this year. The Scotland and Russia relationship is full of rich history and culture dating back over […]
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27th November 2015
History is all around us. From the buildings that adorn our towns and cities to the relics of past civilisations. These objects make up our cultural heritage – providing an insight into what went before us and linking us back to our past. But work is needed to ensure the preservation of historical icons, for […]
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23rd November 2015
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
As an important part of our annual Remembrance events in Russia every November, the British Embassy Moscow and the Consulate General in St Petersburg always visits the cemeteries in North West Russia where British and allied servicemen died during World War One, World War Two and the Allied Intervention period of 1918-19. To mark the […]
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11th November 2015
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
We held our annual Remembrance Sunday service in St Petersburg on Sunday 8 November. This is always an important event which brings together the British community as well as church members from Russia and other countries to honour and remember those who were killed in World War One and Two, as well as later conflicts. […]
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9th November 2015
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
The city of Pskov, which lies some 300kms south of St Petersburg, lost nine of its citizens when the Russian aircraft crashed in Egypt on 31 October. The flight had taken off from Sharm el-Sheikh earlier that morning en route to St Petersburg. All 224 passengers and crew on board the flight were killed. This […]
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