Taking part in the meeting were Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, Deputy Secretary of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Anton Vaino, Secretary of the Security Council Sergei Shoigu, Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin, as well as Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev and Minister of Industry and Trade Anton Alikhanov.
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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good evening, colleagues,
I would like to welcome everyone.
Today we will discuss several issues, the first and principal one being the events that took place early this morning. The Kiev regime carried out yet another attack that was unquestionably terrorist in nature, namely a strike on the Rostov Regional Air Traffic Management Centre.
This could undoubtedly have affected the safety of civilian aircraft. Fortunately, thanks to the highly professional work of our air traffic controllers, no tragic consequences occurred.
I would ask Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Vitaly Savelyev to brief us on this incident and on additional measures to ensure the stable and safe functioning of the Russian Federation’s air transport system.
Please, Mr Savelyev.
Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev:
Thank you.
Mr President,
Members of the Security Council,
Today, on May 8, between 4:15 a.m. and 5:45 a.m., three strikes were carried out against the building of the Russian Federation’s Regional Air Traffic Management Centre in Rostov-on-Don.
Following the strikes, air traffic control procedures were conducted in accordance with contingency and emergency response plans and were transferred to airfield control centres.
Thanks to the actions of the security service, personnel were evacuated to a bomb shelter. There were no casualties. The extent of the damage and additional details are currently being clarified. Engineers from Almaz-Antey and Rostec will assess the condition and operational capability of the centre’s systems over the next 15 hours.
The following 13 airports in the Rostov air traffic zone were temporarily closed: Astrakhan, Volgograd, Vladikavkaz, Gelendzhik, Grozny, Krasnodar, Makhachkala, Magas, Mineralnye Vody, Nalchik, Sochi, Stavropol and Elista. Operations are currently being conducted from backup facilities, while safety assessments continue.
Instructions have been issued to airlines regarding flight schedule adjustments, including cancellations and arrangements for passenger assistance. Airports and airlines have also been instructed to organise bus and rail transport as alternative means of transportation for passengers.
Within the next two to three days, we expect to fully restore air traffic operations in the Rostov zone. From 1 p.m., flights to the 13 airports listed above resumed on a reduced schedule.
All passengers have been informed, and airports are systematically working with passengers. There have been no complaints or issues; passengers are treating the current situation with understanding.
That concludes my report.
Vladimir Putin: Very well, thank you.
Mr Savelyev will now provide further details on the proposed measures to ensure, as I have already said, the stable and safe functioning of the air transport system.
Before we move to the closed discussion, however, I would like to congratulate you on the approaching Victory Day holiday.
We continue to keep this matter in close focus and discuss it with our colleagues and friends in the People’s Republic of China, India and other countries of the anti-Hitler coalition. Incidentally, I recently discussed this issue during a telephone conversation with the President of the United States, recalling that we fought Nazism together and achieved victory together.
A number of leaders from countries friendly to Russia have arrived personally to attend the Victory Day events and will take part in tomorrow’s commemorations.
Through the Presidential Executive Office, we are continuing consultations on what more can be done with our partners to lend this holiday truly significant international importance and to ensure that the real heroes of the Second World War are not forgotten, and that the truth about the sacrifices made by the Soviet Union, the peoples of the Soviet Union and the peoples of Russia in securing our common Victory over Nazism is preserved.
Let us proceed to the discussion of the proposed agenda item. Mr Savelyev, you have the floor.
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