Russian cruiser "VARYAG", dignitaries  visit San Francisco

Russian sailors honored

On Sunday,  the 20^th of June, 2010 for the first time in 147 years, a Russian warship, “Varyag” entered San Francisco Bay. This rare event kicked off the week of the visit of Russia’s President Medvedev to San Francisco, the Silicon Valley and Stanford University. 

On Monday, June 21, the Congress of Russian Americans was asked to participate at the official dedication of the memorial plaque to honor the Russian sailors who came to SF and New York on ships sent by Czar Alexander II in solidarity to President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War.  On October 23, 1863, the Russian sailors in SF were instrumental in suppressing the great fire that occurred on the Embarcadero, and thus the President of the United Humanitarian Mission, Leonid Nakhodkin orchestrated and designed a plaque in their memory.

CRA President, Natalie Sabelnik was asked to officiate at this dedication and introduced speakers, such as Monica Moyer, Executive Director of the Port of San Francisco, Russian Ambassador to US, Sergey Kislyak, General Consul of Russian Federation in San Francisco, Vladimir Vinokurov, Rear Admiral of “Varyag”, Vladimir Kasatonov & Rear Admiral Ted Branch of USS Bunker Hill, as well as Charlotte Maillard Schultz.  George Schultz, Ambassador Kislyak, Rear Admiral Kasatonov & Leonid Nakhodkin unveiled the plaque, and CRA presented Leonid Nakhodkin with a proclamation honoring and thanking him for the contribution to the preservation of Russian history, culture and heritage in the US.

 On Wednesday, June  23, 2010 while President Medvedev met with leaders in the Silicon Valley to discuss potential for Russia’s own “Skolkova Valley” near Moscow, his wife, Svetlana Medvedeva visited the Holy Virgin Cathedral of All Those Who Sorrow in San Francisco to honor the relics of St. John Maximovich, Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco.  She, then, came to the Russian Center, which was the sight of the recent 3^rd Forum of Russian Compatriots of the US, organized by the Congress of Russian Americans.  Her main objective was to visit the “Teremok” child care center at the Russian Center, visit the children and present them with Russian books, but she also met with the President of CRA, as well as the directors of the Russian Center, the Library, Museum of Russian Culture and Russian Life newspaper.