Andrey Kalageorgi. Photo credit: Vesti Crimea / youtube.com
Andrei Kalageorgi, a direct descendant of Catherine the Great and Prince Grigory Potemkin, received Russian citizenship, RIA Novosti reports. The corresponding decree was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The document was posted on the website of the official publication of legal acts on Tuesday, January, 9.
Previously, the native of California said that he admired Crimea, felt proud of the spirit and beauty of the peninsula, and also felt goosebumps when arriving in the region. He expressed a desire to live in Crimea.
Andrei Kalageorgi shared his feelings about visiting Crimea with the media when he arrived last spring at the Livadia Palace Museum for an international scientific and political conference on the 240th anniversary of the annexation of Crimea and Kuban to the Russian Empire.
Andrei Kalageorgi noted that he found a lot in common in Crimea with San Francisco and California, where he was born. He admired the ''spirit, richness and beauty'' of the Russian peninsula and called Crimea incredible.
The descendant of Catherine the Great noted that in America and Europe, where he lived at different times, he did not hide his Russian origin. He announced that he would stop visiting the United States because of the ''propaganda of Russophobia'' thriving there.
240 years ago, it was Empress Catherine II who signed the manifesto ''On the acceptance of the Crimean Peninsula, Taman Island and the entire Kuban side under the Russian power.'' This happened on April, 19, (new style) 1783, in Russia this date is memorable.
Russkiy Mir
