On November 27, the FIDE President arrived to Kazan, Russia, where he participated in the opening ceremony of the Russian Championship Finals. The opening ceremony was held in the Kazan City Hall. At the ceremony, also present were Mintimer Shaimiev, the Tatarstan State Advisor, Senior Advisor to FIDE President, Igor Levitin, Advisor to the President of Russia, Anatoly Karpov, the 12th World Chess Champion, and Maria Morozova, the General Director of the Timchenko Foundation.


FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov


Igor Levitin, Advisor to the President of Russia