President Vladimir Putin has hinted that he could help reconstruct Russia's version of the Great Wall of China during a stopover in the country’s central Lipetsk region, the Znak.com news website reported Wednesday.
A local archeologist had urged Putin to spearhead reconstruction of the Belgorod fortified line, which was built in the 17th century to protect Russia from southern invaders.
Parts of the 800-kilometer line’s ramparts, redoubts and ditches have been preserved, the archeologist, Alexander Bessudnov, was quoted as saying.
“Of course this [reconstruction] is in the president’s powers. I know you support archeology and you support tourism,” Znak.com quoted Bessudnov as saying.
“This would be a great tourist route,” the Lipetsk archeology organization leader added.
Putin said he’ll forward the request to state tourism agencies.
“I’ll ask the relevant agencies that deal with domestic tourism before I gather the governors; let's go through them and see what can be done,” Putin said, as quoted by Znak.com.
