Bosnian Serb Chairman Dodik presents Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov with 300-year-old Ukrainian icon

During his two-day visit to Bosnia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov received a 300-year-old gilded icon originating from Luhansk, Ukraine. It was presented to him by Milorad Dodik, a Bosnian Serb politician, currently serving as the the Republika Srpska representative of Bosnia-Herzegovina's tripartite presidency, the collective federal head of state, reports Serbian news agency RTRS. It is important to note that on the back of the icon there is a seal reading as follows – Ukrainian SSR National Committee of Education of Ukraine, Odesa Regional Commission for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, which functioned in the 1920s and 1930s.

Dodik handed the icon to Lavrov during a meeting held at the Republika Srpska government headquarters in East Sarajevo, attended by Serbian officials. During a press conference in East Sarajevo, Dodik called Lavrov a “great friend of Republika Srpska” and asked Lavrov to convey his best wishes to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“We appreciate Mr. Putin’s efforts in the international arena to ensure stability in Republika Srpska,” he said.

Dodik added that the Republic of Serbia does not intend to join NATO or participate in the sanctions against Russia, and also plans to open an office for the Russian Embassy in Banja Luka. The two other deputies of BiH's three-member praesidium boycotted the meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, citing his “disrespect” of the Bosnian state.