Earlier, the President toured the site and facilities of the new Volzhskoye More tourist and recreation resort that is being constructed in the region.
At the meeting, the President and the Governor discussed the region’s most important issues. In particular, Igor Rudenya announced the start of a public-private project for a large plant in Kimry, transferred to the region by Rostec. The facility will develop and produce artificial diamonds. Technical diamonds are used in the development of microelectronics.
The Governor thanked the President for his decision that made it possible to transfer the Konakovo Thermal Power Plant to Russian companies, in particular to LUKOIL. Now it will establish an educational cluster there for training specialists for the power industry and the region’s technology sector in general.
The President and the Governor also discussed social issues, the participation of young people in military-patriotic events, the partial mobilization conducted in cooperation with the Defence Ministry, and support for the families of the mobilised.
Vladimir Putin emphasised that this issue had many points that need to be discussed with people directly and asked Igor Rudenya to review this with other regional governors and to summarise the results of these discussions to collect information and identify problems that must be resolved. The President said he would certainly meet and talk to people himself about this to receive feedback but noted that he would be grateful to receive information about any problems and proposals on resolving them in advance.
Vladimir Putin reported that about 50,000 mobilised personnel are in combat units now, while the rest are not directly involved in the hostilities at this point. Up to 80,000 are in the special military operation zone, while the rest are still at training grounds. The President emphasised the need to focus on all of them, regardless of where they are deployed.
Igor Rudenya mentioned the COVID-19 issue, even though it is almost over. Nevertheless, prevention and flu vaccination are still necessary. The President noted that it was necessary to work on this and to not let up on these issues because they are becoming seasonal, as the specialists suggest.
Mr Rudenya asked the President to support the region’s proposal to upgrade the vocational and technical education system at the federal level and to transition the system to training-and-education clusters. The latter implies that technical and vocational schools would come under the auspices of manufacturing companies in the region that funds their education, as it has the asset complex, educational and production base and hostels for students from rural areas. However, there is a shortage of funding for upgrading educational buildings and especially hostels.
Igor Rudenya asked the President to instruct the Government to draft programmes for supporting and upgrading secondary vocational education in cooperation with the regions.