Russian President Vladimir Putin and Georges Chaaban, adviser to Saad Hariri for Russian affairs. (Credit: NNA)
BEIRUT — Russian President Vladimir Putin Thursday granted Russian citizenship to Georges Chaaban, an advisor to Future Movement leader Saad Hariri. The decision was announced by a presidential decree published Thursday by the official TASS news agency.
Here’s what know:
• "Russian nationality will be granted to Georges Saadallah Chaaban, born in Lebanon in 1958," said the agency citing the presidential decree. The agency also indicated that Chaaban had been decorated in November 2018 by Putin with the Order of Friendship, Russia's highest honor for a foreign national.
• Georges Chaaban is an advisor on Russian affairs for Saad Hariri. Last January, Hariri announced the suspension of his political life and that of his party which is boycotting the Parliamentary elections scheduled for May 15.