STATE HOUSE, ENTEBBE: President Yoweri Museveni has received a special message from Russias’ President Vladimir Putin delivered by the Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East and Africa and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Hon. Mikhail Bogdanov.

“I take the opportunity to present a special message from President Vladimir Putin and his best wishes,” Bogdanov said at a meeting held at State House Entebbe on Friday.

President Vladimir Putin was one of the first international world leaders to congratulate President Museveni following his January victory in the general elections.

In the special message, Putin congratulated President Museveni on his inauguration and said Uganda witnessed social economic growth of the country under his leadership.

President Museveni called on Russia to invest in military industries in Uganda specifically workshops where equipment can be overhauled and updated.

“Russian equipment we have need workshops to overhaul and update them here. It is cheaper than transporting them. We want to build these workshops for tanks and armoured vehicles here. We also want to cooperate in military training in many fields including air defense,” he said.

The President said Uganda s building an oil refinery for our petroleum for internal and regional use.

Hon. Mikhail Bogdanov said Russia is cooperating with its African partners in organizing the second Russia-Africa summit next year and asked President Museveni to contribute to its agenda.

“I would like to say we enjoy traditional friendly cooperation and want to extend the present cooperation. I hope that the bilateral commission on trade and scientific cooperation will help us,” he said.

ENDS…