Uruguayan-Argentine actress, singer, composer and designer, Natalia Oreiro, together with her little son, Atahualpa, were granted Russian citizenship by a decree signed by that country's president, Vladimir Putin. A ceremony to hand over passports and swear allegiance to Russia was headed by the Russian Ambassador to Argentina, Dimitry Feosktistov.

Oreiro, accompanied by her partner, musician Ricardo Mollo, and their son, Atahualpa, said she was moved by becoming a Russian citizen and affirmed: "My love for Russia and its people is well known. This is an act of love from them to me and from me to them, it is something very important in my life".

A visibly-touched Oreiro highlighted the Russian people's knowledge of tango, films and Argentine artists such as Lolita Torres. And she also pointed out that many people in Eastern European countries learn Spanish in order to watch Argentine soap operas.

RAE Argentina al Mundo covered the ceremony.

Ambassador Feosktistov emphasized in turn that the Russian Federation considers "Natalia a Russian woman, she is part of the Russian people" and said that Oreiro "is not only a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador but also a Rio de la Plata ambassador in Russia and of Russia in Latin America".

"Ever since we discovered her in Russia for her role in the show "Muñeca Brava", her contribution to strengthen our cultural ties has been fundamental and to some extent, she is a diplomat for her work to bring our peoples closer".

Natalia Oreiro became popular two decades ago in the Russian Federation and Eastern European countries in soap operas such as Muñeca Brava, in which she not only acted but sang too.

Her popularity in Russia is explored in a documentary called "Nasha Natasha" ("our Natalia", in Russian), as Russian fans call her, fans that go to her shows and follow her throughout the country, as highlighted by Ambassador Feosktistov.