Putin presented the Order of Merit for the Fatherland to Gergiev and Mashkov

A solemn awarding of the highest state honours took place in the Kremlin. Among the awardees were representatives of culture. Thus, the Order ‘For Services to the Fatherland’ of the second degree was awarded to Valery Gergiev, People's Artist of the Russian Federation, director of the Mariinsky Theatre and general director of the Bolshoi Theatre.

Valery Gergiev took over as head of the Bolshoi last year. At the Mariinsky Theatre, he is simultaneously director, artistic director and chief conductor.

Vladimir Mashkov, People's Artist of the Russian Federation and director of the Oleg Tabakov Moscow Theatre, received the Order for Merit to the Fatherland, fourth class. In the Oleg Tabakov Theatre Mashkov serves since its official opening in March 1987. In 1992, after receiving permission from Tabakov to rehearse independently, Mashkov began work on his first production as a director - ‘Star Hour Local Time’ with Yevgeny Mironov in the title role. Since 2018, he has headed the Oleg Tabakov Theatre and the Oleg Tabakov Theatre School. He plays in the plays ‘Sailor's Silence’ (Abram Shvarts) and ‘The Inspector’ (Gorodnichy). Has staged the following productions: ‘Night at the Hotel’, ‘Passion for Bumbarash’, ‘And No One Became’, ‘The Clash’.

Cavalier of the Order ‘For Merit in Culture and Art’ was the People's Artist Stas Mikhailov.

‘Order of Friendship’ was awarded to actor Steven Seagal. As stated in the Decree of the President ‘For a great contribution to the development of international cultural and humanitarian cooperation’. The actor now resides in Russia. In May this year, he attended the presidential inauguration in the Kremlin.