The laying ceremony was attended by President Badra Gunba, Prime Minister Vladimir Delba, Speaker of Parliament Lasha Ashuba, members of the Government, members of Parliament, Russian Ambassador to Abkhazia Vyacheslav Gladkov, Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Bashkortostan Andrei Nazarov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia Akhsar Dzhioev, war veterans, volunteers, and members of the public.On August 26, 2008, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree recognizing the independence of the Republic of Abkhazia by the Russian Federation.