St. Petersburg — President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, arrived at Pulkovo International Airport in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, on Wednesday (June 18) at approximately 5:50 p.m. local time. His arrival marked the beginning of an official state visit to Russia at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin and was greeted with a full military welcoming ceremony.

Upon disembarking from the aircraft, President Prabowo was warmly received by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov. As part of the official protocol, he walked past the honor guard and paused as the Indonesian national anthem, Indonesia Raya, was solemnly played.

Accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Manturov, President Prabowo proceeded to greet and shake hands with a delegation of senior Russian officials. Among those present to welcome the Indonesian leader were Senator of Dagestan Ilyas Umakhanov, Russian Ambassador to Indonesia Sergei Tolchenov, and Governor of St. Petersburg Alexander Beglov.

From the Indonesian side, the President was joined by Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, Indonesian Ambassador to Russia Jose Tavares, Foreign Minister Sugiono, and Defense Attaché at the Indonesian Embassy in Moscow, Air First Marshal Jatmiko Adi.

President Prabowo’s visit to Russia is part of a series of strategic bilateral engagements, culminating in a high-level summit scheduled for Thursday, June 19. The meeting between President Prabowo and President Putin is expected to serve as a pivotal moment in deepening the Indonesia–Russia strategic partnership across a range of sectors.