Republic of Kalmykia

Former President of the Republic of Kalmykia and President of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) Kirsan Ilyumzhinov visited Kiev, the capital of the Ukraine, where he had working meetings with the Minister for Family, Youth and Sports of Ukraine Mr Ravil Safiullin and the leadership of the Ukrainian Chess Federation.

At the meetings the issues of mutual cooperation including a bill for consideration by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine “On the support of Chess in the Ukraine”, as well as the implementation of Chess in Schools programme and a possibility of holding the top FIDE events such as World Chess Cup and Chess Olympiad in the country were discussed.

In Kiev Kirsan Ilyumzhinov met with a legendary sportsman Valery Borzov, IOC member since 1984, President of the Ukrainian NOC (1991-1998). Messrs. Valery Borzov and Kirsan Ilyumzhinov discussed the perspectives and a possible way of FIDE’s entering in the Olympic family.

From left to right: Mr Berik Balgabaev, Director of Moscow FIDE office, Mr Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, FIDE President, Mr Oleg Savchuk, Head of the Geo Social Games project, Mr Valery Zhulev, Deputy Director of the Department of Youth Affairs and Communications, Mr Artemyev, Director of the Department of Youth Affairs and Communications, Mr Ravil Safiullin, Minister for Family, Youth and Sports of Ukraine, Mr Viktor Kapustin, President of the Ukrainian CF, Mr Anatoly Yatsenko, President of the Ukrainian Draughts Federation.