The message reads, in part:
“An extraordinary person with a multitude of talents, you are an acknowledged master of the film art. Your very first works brought you wide recognition and the love of millions of people. Your films, each of which has its own scale and depth, have received prestigious Russian and international awards.
Your public activities and active citizenship also deserve great respect.”
The President also signed an Executive Order awarding Nikita Mikhalkov the Order for Services to the Fatherland, IV degree.