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Mr Putin told the audience that Russians had always sympathised with the Cuban people, and that the essence of bilateral relations between the two countries had not changed with time.

He said Cuban hospitals and clinics had treated 19,000 former Soviet and Russian citizens after the Chernobyl disaster and the Afghan war. This is convincing proof of the very friendly relations between the peoples of Cuba and Russia, the President said.

Mr Putin presented the Order of Friendship to Cuban Health Minister Carlos Dotres Martinez and Rodrigo Jose Alvarez Cambras, director of the Frank Pais Orthopaedic Hospital, for their substantial contribution to strengthening Russian-Cuban friendship and cooperation.