The message reads, in part:
“Launched at the very onset of the Great Patriotic War, on July 2, 1941, the airport was a base of the legendary Moscow special operations aircraft group. Vnukovo personnel carried servicemen to the fronts, evacuated the wounded, delivered weapons, ammunitions, shells and provisions, including for the besieged Leningrad. And in 1945 they welcomed here, at the airfield, an aircraft with the Banner of Victory aboard.
It is gratifying that one of the country’s oldest airports is dynamically developing and makes a substantial contribution to enhancing the capacity of the domestic civil aviation. Vnukovo’s infrastructure is being expanded with new terminals and cargo complexes with up-to-date equipment that meets world standards of security, reliability and environmental safety. The route network is also growing, and millions of passengers as well as Russian and international carriers use the airport’s services each year.
I am sure that what stands behind these impressive achievements is the hard and dedicated work by many thousands of the airport’s personnel of different professions who know and sincerely love their occupation. You respect the former workers’ traditions and successfully pursue projects, which means a great deal for the industry. I will note specially the unfailing attention the airport’s workers give to organising welcoming and farewell procedures for top officials of our country and foreign heads of state.”