OREANDA-NEWS. August 24, 2009. Before the meeting began, the President first held a working meeting with President of Buryatia Vyacheslav Nagovitsyn to discuss the social and economic situation in the republic.

Mr Medvedev also visited the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant, saw the workshops and got an overview of the production process and the aircraft the plant manufactures.

OAO Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant is the only aircraft maker and defence industry enterprise in Russia that makes both planes and helicopters. It manufactures Mi-8 and Mi-171 helicopters for transport, passenger, search and rescue, and representation needs. It also produces various versions of the Su-25 aircraft, and the Su-39 attack aircraft.  

Earlier in the day, Mr Medvedev visited the Ivolga Datsan Buddhist monastery. Accompanied by the head of Russia’s Buddhists, the Bandida Khambo-lama, Damba Alyusheyev, Mr Medvedev visited the Monastery’s main temple (dugan) Sogchen, and then visited the palace of the XII Bandida Khambo-lama, Dashi Dorzho Itigilov. The President then had a cup of tea with the Buddhist lamas.  

During his conversation with the Bandida Khambo-lama, Mr Medvedev said that Russia’s Buddhists are making an important contribution to strengthening interethnic dialogue and social concord.

The Ivolga Datsan, located in the village of Verkhnyaya Ivolga, is the Russian Buddhist Central Spiritual Board’s (Buddhist traditional Sangkha) biggest and most important monastery. It is also home to the residence of the Bandida Khambo-lama, Damba Alyusheyev, the head of the Buddhist traditional Sangkha.