Russian leader attends memorial for slain diplomat

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA

Senior Russian leaders attended a memorial on Thursday for slain ambassador Andrey Karlov at the country’s foreign ministry in Moscow.

Karlov's family, President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and ministry staff attended.

A service is to be conducted later by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia and will be held in the capital’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

Karlov died on Monday after being shot multiple times at an art exhibition in the Turkish capital Ankara. He was delivering a speech when the assailant, 22-year-old Turkish policeman Mevlut Mert Altintas, opened fire.

Putin postponed a major annual news conference to attend Thursday’s ceremony.

He also signed an executive order awarding Karlov the title of Hero of the Russian Federation, the Kremlin said in a statement on Wednesday.