MOSCOW. Aug 15 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent greetings to former Cuban leader Fidel Castro on the occasion of his 90th birthday.
"Dear friend, please accept my warmest greetings on the occasion of your jubilee. You enjoy great respect in Russia as an outstanding statesman who has devoted all his life to serving the people of Cuba," Putin said in a telegram to Castro available on the Kremlin website.
Putin said it is hard to overestimate Fidel Castro's contribution to the development of friendship and cooperation between Cuba and Russia.
Hopefully, positive relations between the two countries will continue developing fruitfully, which should help strengthen regional stability and security, he said.
"With all my heart, I wish you good health, longevity, vigor and wellbeing," Putin added.
Fidel Castro was born in the Cuban village of Biran in 1926. Fidel Castro, along with his brother Raul and Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, led a revolutionary movement in Cuba at the end of the 1950s, after which he remained for a long time the leader of Cuba and a staunch critic of the U.S.' policy.
After starting to experience health problems in 2006, Fidel transferred power to his brother Raul.