The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, will be the first head of government to meet the new Russian Prime Minister, Mr Vladimir Putin, when he visits Russia later this month.
Mr Ahern will leave Dublin on September 14th for the two-day official visit and will be accompanied by a trade delegation made up of representatives from 25 Irish business interests.
Mr Ahern is scheduled to meet Mr Putin on September 15th. On that day he is also due to attend a ceremony for signature of agreements on co-operation in combating illegal drug trafficking and fighting crime, and will be a guest at a lunch hosted by Mr Putin.
There will be a reception in Moscow that evening in the Irish Embassy in honour of Mr Ahern.
On September 16th, Mr Ahern will meet the Speaker of the Duma, Mr Gennady Seleznyov, and the mayor of Moscow, and will visit the Kremlin Museums in Red Square. He will fly to St Petersburg where he will meet the mayor and governor.
A Government spokesman said last night that the visit was an important one from a trade and economic point of view.
During his visit the Taoiseach will also meet members of the Irish community and will host a working breakfast with an Irish business delegation.