The home team is one of the squads competing at the semi-final qualifying event - which could lead to qualification for the 2014 Rabobank Hockey World Cup in The Hague, alongside Japan, Czech Republic, Austria, Egypt and Ukraine, when it takes place the city of Elektrostal from May 27 to June 2.

"To host a competition of such a high level is considered to be a great honour for Russia," Cherepanov (pictured top) said at a press conference with news agency ITAR TASS.

"The target of the Russian national team is to get into the next round and, thanks to Hockey World League, we can promote hockey in Russia, which is just as important."

Cherepanov gave details of the work of the "Spectator Project", an initiative being implemented to allow young sportspeople from different towns and cities in the Moscow region to attend the tournament, and explained that coaches and hockey fans from Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Azov and Nizhny Novgorod will be coming to watch the action.

"There is a wide cultural agenda planned for this tournament, which including performances by rock bands and a lottery for the spectators," Cherepanov added.

"We are also planning a match between hockey veterans of the USSR and a 'rest of the world' team.

"I am sure that Hockey World League will have a great impact on the development of hockey in the Russian Federation."

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