Overview

• Putin arrived in Dushanbe on Wednesday for a state visit before taking part in the flower-laying ceremony.
• The Ismoil Somoni memorial is the principal landmark on Dusti Square and is regarded as the capital’s main symbol.
• Installed in 1997, the site features a 13-meter statue set within a 40-meter arch.
• The statue and arch were produced in Russia, with Russian sculptor Lev Kerbel among the creators.
• The monument’s imagery includes a crown and scepter with seven stars and a golden scepter topped by a solar disk, signifying national unity and statehood.