Russia: French delegation given tour of Sevastopol's Panorama Museum

A French parliamentary delegation took a tour of Sevastopol's Panorama Museum, Friday, as part of their two-day visit to the Crimean peninsula. The delegates were shown the the 'Defense of Sevastopol 1854-1855', a painted panorama by artist Franz Roubaud, depicting the city's defenders during the Crimean War. Ten members of the French Senate and National Assembly, led by National Assembly deputy Thierry Mariani, are expected to meet Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Aksyonov, Chairman of the State Council Vladimir Konstantinov and Sevastopol's Mayor Sergei Menyailo. The visit is also aimed at gathering impressions of the residents' sense of well-being. The delegation will visit of Sevastopol's Alliance Francaise cultural centre and the French military cemetery as part of their trip. The parliamentarians are the first western delegation to visit Crimea since Russia's reunification with Crimea in March 2014. However, Mariani has emphasised that the move is "personally motivated" rather than a reflection of France's position towards Russia.