The stamp cancellation ceremony was held in Moscow in a video conference mode. The event was attended by the director of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Russia, the chairman of the Russian Historical Society Sergey Naryshkin and the head of Rossvyaz Oleg Dukhovnitsky.
“It is no secret that for most of our citizens, foreign intelligence is associated with its most prominent representatives. One of these heroes was Aleksey Nikolayevich Botyan, the famous scout, the legendary “Major Whirlwind”, who unfortunately left us in his 104th year of life, not having lived quite a few months before the 75th anniversary of the Great Victory, ”said Naryshkin. His words are quoted by RIA Novosti.
On the stamp itself is a photograph of Botyan from the Great Patriotic War and the Golden Star medal against the backdrop of the sights of Krakow.
Botyan died on February 13 at the age of 103.
A spokesman for the Russian president, Dmitry Peskov, said that President Putin expressed deep condolences to the relatives of the intelligence officer over his death.
Retired KGB Colonel Igor Prelin, in an interview with NSN, noted that Botyan was a bright, kind and helpful person who carried loyalty to his fatherland through his whole life.