May 12, 2026: On Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 (May 9), Taganrog received visitors from several Balkan cities: Novi Sad and Čačak in Serbia; Budva, Podgorica, and Tivat in Montenegro; and Srebrenica (Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina).

The delegation, which arrived in Taganrog not only to explore the city of Chekhov and Ranevskaya but also to look at the options for inter-city cooperation, included municipal and government officials, public figures, and local council members, accompanied by Nino Sabanadze, head of the Rostov regional branch of the Interregional Public Patriotic Movement "Forever Alive."

The Balkan guests were received by Vladimir Bandak, Taganrog Deputy City Manager for Organizational Issues, and Victoria Shirokova, Head of Tourism and Foreign Relations Department of Taganrog Local Government.

During the conversation, held in the Taganrog Chekhov Public Library, the hosts and visitors discussed prospects for potential cultural and educational cooperation. Both sides emphasized the importance of preserving historical memory, noting the cultural and ethnic affinities between the Russian and Serbian peoples.

Following the discussion, the city guests took part in a flower-laying ceremony at the "Taganrog — City of Military Glory" stele and enjoyed a sightseeing tour.