OREANDA-NEWS. July 29, 2008. Mr Medvedev issued a decree awarding the Order of Friendship to Valery Matyukhin, general and artistic director of the Kiev Camerata National Ensemble of Soloists.

Mr Matyukhin received the decoration for his great contribution to developing Russian-Ukrainian cultural ties and his active work to preserve and develop Russian culture. 

In another decree, Mr Medvedev awarded the Pushkin Medal to Yury Kaplan, chairman of the All-Ukraine Creative Union ‘Congress of Ukrainian Writers’, and Vladimir Cherepkov, a member of the union’s presidium.  

The two men were awarded the decoration for their great contribution to popularising the Russian language and Russian culture, and to developing Russian-Ukrainian ties.