President Rodrigo Duterte and his Cabinet men are met by Russian officials led by Ambassador to the Philippines Igor Khovaev early Wednesday morning in Moscow.

President Rodrigo Duterte landed at Vnukovo Military Base Airport in Moscow on Wednesday to kick off his five-day state visit in Russia.

The President arrived with Foreign Affairs Sec. Teodoro Locsin, Sen. Bong Go and Philippine Ambassador to Russia Carlos Sorreta. They were met by Russian officials led by Ambassador to the Philippines Igor Khovaev.

The President will meet Russia President Vladimir Putin in Sochi later in the day. The two leaders will discuss cooperation agreements in the areas of security and defense, combating terrorism and violent extremism, and addressing transnational crimes.

It will be their fourth meeting after November 2016 on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Peru, the first state visit in Russia on May 2017 cut short by the Marawi siege and November 2017 during the APEC Summit in Da Nang, Vietnam.

Other members of the official delegation are Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Cabinet Secretaries Carlos Dominguez III, Delfin Lorenzana William Dar, Silvestre Bello III, Karlo Nograles, Ramon Lopez, Roy Cimatu, Eduardo Año, Fortunato Dela Peña, Alfonso Cusi, Martin Andanar and Hermogenes Esperon and Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo.

They will be back home this Saturday, 5 October.

In Moscow, the President and Russian business leaders will discuss more economic linkages. He will also engage academics and the students of the Moscow Institute of International Relations University.

Aside from his official visit, President Duterte will meet with the Filipino community.