A grand artistic performance was given at the Pyongyang Indoor Stadium on June 19 in honour of Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, president of the Russian Federation, on a state visit to the DPRK in order to deepen the ties of friendship between the two countries.

Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, enjoyed the performance together with Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, president of the Russian Federation.

Kim Jong Un greeted Putin at the plaza of the Pyongyang Indoor Stadium.

When Kim Jong Un appeared at the auditorium together with Putin, all the participants paid the highest tribute to the two leaders who have put the sacred cause for the common well-being, development and prosperity of the DPRK and Russia and the peoples of the two countries, and genuine international justice and peace, on a new strategic stage, and are confidently leading them along the road resplendent with victory.

Present there at invitation were Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergei Lavrov, First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Mantrov, Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Nobak, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration and President's Press Secretary Dmitri Peskov, Aide to the President of Russia for Foreign Policy Yuri Ushakov, Minister of Defense Andrei Beloussov, Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology and Chairman of the Russian Side of the Russia-DPRK Inter-Governmental Committee for Cooperation in Trade, Economy, Science and Technology Alexandr Kozlov, Minister of Health Mikhail Murashuko, Minister of Transport Roman Starovoyt and other members of the Russian president's entourage, and Russian Ambassador to the DPRK Alexandr Matsegora and staff members of the Russian embassy.

Among the audience were Kim Tok Hun, vice-president of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and premier of the Cabinet, Choe Ryong Hae, first vice-president of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly, Choe Son Hui, foreign minister of the DPRK, secretaries of the WPK Central Committee, other senior officials of the Party, government and military, officials of the WPK Central Committee, ministries and national agencies, Pyongyangites, youth and students.

The national anthems of the Russian Federation and the DPRK were played.

Put on the stage of the performance, which began with a ceremony of the combined military band, were numbers reflecting the revolutionary mettle, noble patriotic spirit and national emotion of the peoples of the DPRK and Russia, which had been fully displayed in the sacred decades for overcoming all challenges of history and defending justice and truth.

The performers sang in high praises of the prestige of the heroic Korean people who are carrying out the great cause of building a prosperous country with powerful armed forces, demonstrating their dignity with independence and achieving epoch-making victories and great changes by dint of self-reliance and self-defence under the guidance of the great Workers' Party of Korea.

The audience was touched by the famous songs of Russia truthfully representing the Russian people's true patriotism, devotion to their country and strong desire to build a prosperous and powerful state without fail.

The Russian song "The Sacred War," by a male chorus, served as a militant encouragement to the army and people of Russia who are displaying matchless bravery and patriotism in the struggle to firmly defend the inviolable dignity, sovereign right, security, development and interests of the country under the leadership of Putin.

The audience waved the national flags of the two countries and cheered to the tune of the beautiful and elegant melodies and dance rhythms, expressing their deep reverence for the dear guest from the friendly neighbouring country.

A portrait of Comrade Putin, who is energetically leading the building of a strong Russia while uniting society and people with his experienced political ability and iron will and boosting the national strength, was projected onto the backdrop.

The performance elicited loud applause from the audience as it represented the invincibility of the common ideal and cause of the peoples of the two countries and their feelings of friendship.

Kim Jong Un and Putin had a floral basket presented to the performers in congratulation of their successful performance.

Expressing his impressions of the wonderful performance, Putin requested Kim Jong Un to convey his kind regards to the performers.

The audience was deeply impressed by the performance as it gave a vivid artistic description of the friendly feelings of the people of the DPRK towards Putin and the fraternal Russian people.