Yekaterinburg (Russia) (PTI): External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee arrived here on wednesday on a three-day visit to take part in meetings with his counterparts from Russia, China and Brazil to discuss a wide range of issues including anti-terror combat and global economic situation.

Mukherjee, who arrived here from the UAE on board a special aircraft, will attend the ministerial meetings in trilateral -- Russia, India and China (RIC) -- and quadrilateral -- Brazil and RIC (BRIC) -- formats.

He was accorded a warm welcome by the officials of Russian Foreign Ministry and the local governor at the Koltsovo airport founded in 1723 by Peter-the-Great in the minerals rich region of Ural Mountains in memory of his wife Yekaterina (Catherine).

Later tonight Mukherjee will attend the informal dinner with his Chinese colleague Yang Jiechi hosted in their honour by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.