Medvedev receives world champion Russian ice hockey team

MOSCOW, May 12 -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev received on Tuesday at the Kremlin the national ice hockey team which just won the world championship.

Medvedev first congratulated the squad on behalf of fans, saying the passion brought by their victory is precisely what Russia needs under current circumstances.

Although the final game was played at late night Moscow time on Sunday, the Russian head of state said he had watched the whole game from the start to the very last second, according to the Itar-Tass news agency.

Medvedev also expressed gratitude to the Russian head coach Vyacheslav Bykov, saying he hoped that the team would achieve greater results at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Russia beat Canada 2-1 on Sunday at Berne, Switzerland to reclaim the title of the ice hockey world championship.

The central bank of Russia has announced to issue commemorate medals for living ice players this year.