The message reads, in part:
"You have devoted your life to medicine and developed a distinguished career. You are respected as a brilliant surgeon, a prominent scientist and one of the organisers of the Russian healthcare system. It was largely thanks to your breakthrough discoveries and achievements that considerable progress has been made in the treatment of heart diseases and thousands of lives have been saved.
"We respect your active stand in life and your versatile and productive public activities.
"I wish you and your family health and welfare."