Anatoly Sobchak commemorated in St. Petersburg

Today St. Petersburg will host the events, commemorating Anatoly Sobchak, a famous Russian statesman of the late 1980s - early 1990s. This Petersburg's lawyer was an outstanding figure of the Soviet perestroika and played an important role in the collapse of the communist power in the country.

Anatoly Sobchak represented the Russian northern capital in the Supreme Council in the Soviet Union's last years. He was the first democratically elected mayor of St. Petersburg. The companion of Boris Yeltsin, the first president of independent Russia, would have recently turned 65. He died 1.5 years ago of a heart attack.

Today wreaths will be laid to Sobchak's grave in St. Petersburg and a ceremony of cancellation of a postage stamp, issued for the 65th anniversary of Sobchak's birthday, will be held in St. Petersburg. The famous Mariinsky Theatre will host the first St. Petersburg Mayor's commemoration meeting.