Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle the First-Called, the country’s highest state order. The decree was published on the official legal information portal.
According to the document, Lavrov received the honor "for outstanding service to the nation, significant contributions to the development and implementation of Russia’s foreign policy, and many years of dedicated public service."
Lavrov turns 75 on March 21. He has served as foreign minister for nearly 22 years, making him one of the longest-serving diplomats in Russia’s history—second only to Soviet-era Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko (28 years) and Imperial Chancellor Alexander Gorchakov (26 years). He also holds the record for the longest tenure in the Russian government.
Lavrov has been part of the Foreign Ministry since 1972. From 1992 to 1994, he served as deputy foreign minister, and from 1994 to 2004, he was Russia’s permanent representative to the United Nations.
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Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on TASS materials