Putin alerts Russian researchers working in Yemen
NOVO-OGARYOVO. Oct 29 (Interfax) - President Vladimir Putin has called on Russian researchers working in Yemen to be on their guard amid a continuing power vacuum in that country.
During a session of the Presidential Council on Science and Education, General Director of St. Petersburg's Hermitage Museum Mikhail Piotrovsky raised the issue of foundations that provide support to Russian science.
"Here is a living example - our Russian-Yemeni classical expedition was saved by the RGNF [Russian Research Foundation for Humanities], and my colleagues are working in Yemen even now. No one is working there any longer, except our researchers who are working on the island of Socotra," Piotrovsky said.
To this Putin remarked: "Be careful there. I am not joking. Listen, the situation there is very complicated. There is no power there, and our researchers are staying there".
"Mikhail Borisovich, only don't travel there yourself, you needn't," Putin told Piotrovsky. The latter said jokingly that he had no time to, while Putin remarked: "Don't, I am earnest. I am saying this without any irony".