I refer to the Forum letter by Ms Stella Kon on the missing plaque (Shame that plaque, a symbol of values, is defaced, Jan 26) commemorating the ground-breaking ceremony for a proposed Russian Cultural Centre (RCC), held during the state visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Singapore on Nov 13, 2018.

Unfortunately, the plaque was stolen a few months after the ceremony.

But thanks to the good job done by the Singapore police, it was found and returned to the Russian side.

The land plot where the commemorative plaque and stone are located is leased by the Singapore Government to the Russian government based on the bilateral agreement signed in 2015 on the construction of the RCC with the Orthodox church in Singapore.

At the moment, the design project of the complex is being worked out both by the Singapore and Russian architects.

Since we expect to start the next stage of the project soon, which will require clearing the ground and removing the commemorative stone, it was decided not to return the plaque back to its place.

Instead, an alternative sign will be placed on the spot until the end of the construction. By then, the stone and original plaque will be returned to the place.

Aleksandr Solovev

First Secretary of the Russian Embassy

Representative of Rossotrudnichestvo in Singapore