Sonia Gandhi, chairperson of India's ruling coalition, Tuesday visited the twin Russian cities of Vladimir and Suzdal where her father was detained for several years during World War II.

Gandhi flew in a helicopter from here to the ancient twin cities, considered the cradle of Russian civilisation.

Her father Stefano Maino -- who was an Italian soldier fighting against Soviet troops during World War II -- was detained in the region of the twin cities as a prisoner of war for several years.

But her Russian hosts could not show her the prison where Maino was held as the structure no longer exists.

Maino, who later became a building contractor, never harboured any grouse or anger against his Russian captors.

Rather, he retained profound love and respect for Russian culture and history till his death in 1983. He also gave Russian names to all three of his daughters.

Vladimir, with its huge gold domed churches, was the ancient capital of Russia and is named after the great king Vladimir, who brought Christianity to the country. Suzdal played an important role in the formation and development of the Russian state in the 11th and 12th centuries.

Gandhi, the chairperson of India's ruling United Progressive Alliance, is on a four-day visit to Russia at the invitation of a pro-Kremlin public foundation, the Centre for National Glory and World Forum on Dialogue of Civilisations.

She is accompanied by Indian External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh.

Gandhi, apparently influenced by her father, decided to study Russian as one of the several foreign languages she specialised in. She knows English, French, Spanish and Hindi, and understands Russian and can even speak a little of the language.

During her excursion to the Kremlin Palace Tuesday, Gandhi was taken to certain rooms opened only for special foreign dignitaries. She saw the diamond fund, visited the famous Tretyakov art gallery and the Pushkin art museum. 

Later in the evening, she is expected to interact with functionaries of the Centre for National Glory, including members of Russia's political elite and witness the popular ballet "Legend of Love" at the famous Bolshoi Theatre.

On Wednesday, Gandhi will fly to St. Petersburg, considered Russia's cultural capital, where President Valdimir Putin is expected to receive her.

Gandhi was received by Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Soltanov, the chairman of the Centre for National Glory, Vladimir Yakunin, and other top officials of the Russian presidential administration and foreign ministry on her arrival at the airport here.

Gandhi's visit, her first major foreign trip abroad after she was elected chairperson of India's ruling coalition and the third consecutive visit in a month's time by a top Indian leader, has generated a lot of interest among political observers here.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President A.P.J. Kalam paid visits to Russia in May.

Russian foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovlev, describing Gandhi's visit as "important", said that it bore testimony to the growing strategic partnership between the two nations in bilateral and international affairs.

"Sonia Gandhi's current visit is a significant event in the intensive Russian-Indian political contacts at a higher level," said Yakovenko.