In his address at the official ceremony, Vladimir Putin said that presenting standards to high-ranking military officers was an old tradition being revived by a resurgent Russia.
The President said the Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster Relief Ministry could now promptly and efficiently react to emergency situations.
Mr Putin stressed that the high risk involved in the Ministry’s operations left no room for mistakes and required dedicated personnel. The Ministry’s personnel working in Chechnya had to accomplish particularly difficult objectives. Mr Putin said that it was the country’s sacred duty to rebuild Chechnya.