The Ambassador of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation, Shobini Gunasekera presented her Letters of Credence on 15th January 2026, to President Vladimir Putin, of the Russian Federation at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, during a solemn ceremony held in accordance with established diplomatic protocol. The President was accompanied at the Ceremony by Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov and Foreign Policy Advisor Yury Ushakov.

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Moscow commenced official duties for the year 2026 with the hoisting of the National Flag by Ambassador Shobini Gunasekera, followed by the singing of the National Anthem. A two-minute silence was observed in honor of war heroes and all those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the motherland.

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in the Russian Federation extends its sincere appreciation to the Catholic Archdiocese in Moscow for organizing special holy masses in remembrance of the victims of the devastating Ditwah Cyclone, which recently affected large parts of the country.

Following a meeting with Ambassador and the staff Archbishop Pavel Pezzi, of the Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of the Virgin Mother in Moscow, initiated these several masses in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Holy Virgin Mary, the largest Catholic Church in Russia.

The Sri Lanka Tea Board today affirmed the industry's exceptional resilience and swift return to operational stability following the severe disruptions caused by Cyclone Ditwa across the Central and Uva Provinces. While the storm inflicted considerable damage to infrastructure and tragically impacted our workforce, the collective response from growers, manufacturers, and exporters has ensured that the backbone of the Ceylon Tea production chain remains intact. The industry is operating under a coordinated national recovery strategy, focused on supporting affected communities and maintaining global supply.