Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peshkov made an outrageous statement commenting on the conversion of the Hagia Sophia into a mosque, saying it would no be more beneficial for the Russian tourists as the entry tickets were extremely expensive as a museum.
During an interview on a radio show, Mr. Putin’s associate said the whole matter of Hagia Sophia was a Turkish internal affair, adding “Moscow’s relations with Ankara will not be affected” by the decision.
The spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow-Ankara relations would not deteriorate due to the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque by Recep Tayyip Erdogan, adding that “I tell you that Hagia Sophia tickets are quite expensive. There will be no tickets now and admission will be free. Our tourists will benefit from this.”
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“In addition, we hope that in any decision, our Turkish partners will take into account the status of Hagia Sophia as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the fact that the cathedral is sacred to many Christians,” the Kremlin spokesman said. According to Peshkov, this means that Russian tourists coming to Constantinople should be able to visit the temple.