President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Solntsev, you are the current Prime Minister of the Donetsk People’s Republic, are you?
Yevgeny Solntsev: Yes, I am.
Vladimir Putin: How would you describe the situation there?
Yevgeny Solntsev: Mr President, we are working to fulfil your instructions on rebuilding the Donetsk People’s Republic. Over the past three years, we have rebuilt 19,337 sites, including 3,407 apartment buildings.
We continue to repair private houses, which is a challenge. Nevertheless, we have repaired 13,294 houses.
We are also rebuilding social and cultural facilities. We have rebuilt 752 facilities, including schools. This year, we have rebuilt 60 schools, bringing the total to 247 schools and 167 kindergartens. You have opened flagship schools in Mariupol, including a large school for 1,100 children in the Nevsky neighbourhood, which you visited.
We are also rebuilding healthcare facilities. To date, we have rebuilt 78 healthcare facilities, including hospitals, some of them from the ground up, like the hospitals in Volnovakha for 110 beds and in Mariupol for 700 beds. You attended the opening ceremony for the latter hospital, which serves all the southern regions of the Donetsk People’s Republic.
We continue to rebuild roads. Over the past three years, we have renovated 1,688 kilometres of roads.
There are some areas of concern. We have not yet resolved all our problems, but we continue to rebuild and revitalise all the liberated cities and towns.
I have accumulated considerable experience in this position, tackling unique issues related to people’s lives and making relevant decisions. The price of our decisions is sometimes extremely high.
Vladimir Putin: Mr Solntsev, first of all, I would like to thank you for everything you have accomplished in the Donetsk People’s Republic.
You have vast experience. In particular, you worked at Russian Railways, at the Construction Ministry and after that at Rosatom. You are currently head of the Donetsk government.
I would like to offer you a new job with broader responsibilities, the post of Governor of the Orenburg Region. What do you think?
Yevgeny Solntsev: Mr President, thank you very much for your trust.
I will certainly accept this offer. I do not know that region, and it will take several months to objectively assess the situation there. But I can assure you that I will use all my skills and professional experience for the benefit of the people who live there and for the development of the Orenburg Region. Thank you very much.
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