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Mr Medvedev said the anniversary has national significance, as Yaroslavl played a major part in the emergence of the Russian state.

The preparations for the anniversary celebrations should focus not just on preserving the city’s historic centre, which is on the UNESCO world heritage list, but should also make full use of Yaroslavl’s competitive advantages as one of the towns that form Russia’s famous Golden Ring, Mr Medvedev said. Yaroslavl should become an internationally recognised tourism destination and offer its residents a comfortable living environment.

Yaroslavl, a major industrial and cultural centre on the Volga River, is 280 kilometres north of Moscow and has a population of 604,000.