KUALA LUMPUR: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, has arrived in St Petersburg for a special visit at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In a post on Facebook, the King expressed his delight at visiting St Petersburg, a city celebrated for its rich history, classical architecture, and status as one of Russia’s premier cultural centres.

Founded in 1703, St Petersburg once served as the Russian capital and is famed for its historic landmarks and artistic heritage, attracting visitors from across the globe.

“The city’s unique blend of history, art and urban beauty makes it one of Russia’s most sought-after destinations, drawing growing interest from international travellers, including Malaysians,” Sultan Ibrahim said.

Last year, more than 160,000 Malaysians visited St Petersburg.

The King’s maiden special visit to the city comes at the personal invitation of Putin.

His Majesty’s special aircraft touched down at Pulkovo International Airport at 2.38pm local time today.

On arrival, he was received by Leningrad Oblast Governor Alexander Yuryevich Drozdenko, Vice Governor Yaroslav Anatolyevich Serov, and St Petersburg Committee for External Relations chairman Evgeny Dmitrievich Grigoriev.

Also present to welcome the King was Malaysia’s Ambassador to Russia, Datuk Cheong Loon Lai.