President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Smirnov, good afternoon.
Acting Governor of the Kursk Region Alexei Smirnov: Good afternoon, Mr President.
Vladimir Putin: Mr Smirnov, you were appointed to the office of the Kursk Region governor not long ago, but life is posing unexpected and complicated tasks for you to render assistance to the people in distress. Your professional knowledge, skills, and experience that you certainly have are not enough here. Today’s situation also requires courage and composure in solving these complex, difficult, extraordinary tasks that are now facing all branches and all levels of authority, including the governor and your team.
Of course, I am aware of the situation on the whole, but still I would like to hear your assessments of the situation in the region right now. Please, brief me on the operation of the headquarters and the coordination of the activities of various bodies of authority.
Go ahead, Mr Smirnov.
Alexei Smirnov: Thank you, Mr President.
First of all, I would like to thank you for the trust in me when appointing me to this high position in our borderline region at this crucial moment, as well as for the support you are providing to the people living in the Kursk Region.
Our team is working around the clock, and we also meet in person and talk on the phone every day.
When the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked the territory of the Russian Federation – the Sudzha District of the Kursk Region – at 5 am on August 6, when the enemy attempted to break through our state border with infantry and armoured vehicles – the headquarters assembled immediately, and I, together with all the members of the team, coordinate this work practically around the clock. All the governor’s deputies, our regional government and all the security and police agencies that are part of the headquarters, plus the Ministry of Defence, are all involved.
We receive constant support from the federal Government, and I permanently stay in touch with the Prime Minister, his deputies, Presidential Aide Alexei Dyumin, and the Defence Minister; many deputy ministers and agency representatives are also present here now.
First of all, upon assessing the situation, we began evacuating people. This was quite a difficult job, because the Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups are firing at civilians and ambulances that are evacuating the population at the cost of their own lives: there are cases where medical personnel have been killed. We involved the administrations of village councils, the regional administration, and the Voluntary People’s Militia. We have armoured vehicles transferred to the people’s militia, which we received from banks some time ago. These are cash-in-transit vehicles, and now the banks are giving us another 80 vehicles.
People were transported to a safe distance first, from where we organised their further transportation by large-capacity buses. This work was carried out around the clock, and it continues at the moment.
As for temporary accommodation points (TAP), we currently have vacant places. We are making room for evacuated people at buildings and premises, and some business people helped vacate their premises to accommodate people. We have also received help from Russian Railways: three trains have arrived, where we can accommodate an additional 2,400 people. Another eight trains have arrived, where we can accommodate people, provide them with humanitarian assistance and send them immediately by rail, because almost all the heads of the Russian regions have responded and are providing places to help accommodate people. We will be transporting people from the Kursk Region both by buses and by rail, and our colleagues will accommodate them.
Medical assistance to people was among our primary concerns. Over the first 24 hours, we increased the number of rapid response teams to 34, provided additional beds in hospitals, sent an emergency supply of medicines, medications, and dressings there, and summoned 16 medical teams to work, including surgeons and traumatologists.
Right now, we have increased the number of beds to 1,800 thanks to the support of the Russian Healthcare Ministry. We have 61 teams, and 60 highly qualified doctors have arrived from various regions. The Federal Medical and Biological Agency has deployed additional 100 beds in the hospital, and a mobile hospital from the Healthcare Ministry is on its way. Therefore, medical issues have also been taken care of.
The Russian Popular Frond, the United Russia party and businesses have also stepped in: they are bringing us rescue humanitarian aid, clothes, and electronic warfare equipment to a specially designated base; they are also bringing means of communication, first of all, to the injured people, and also to the police and security forces, when necessary, to volunteers and members of the people’s militia, who are helping to evacuate people from potentially dangerous places.
The headquarters meets when necessary: everyone is actively engaged. Today I chaired an expanded headquarters meeting, with representatives of federal ministries and agencies in attendance. I have also instructed my deputies and the Kursk Region Federal Antimonopoly Service to carry out a joint inspection: there are instances where retail outlets, hotels, and catering establishments raise prices unreasonably, that is, profiting from the people in distress. Of course, we will put a stop to it.
I also held talks with Mr Igor Sechin today, from our fuel and energy complex, so that all gas stations operate properly and have fuel reserves. We are also in contact with them so that all gas stations are equipped with electronic warfare systems and armour protection.
We have a local 112 call centre. They receive calls, and each call is processed. Also today, it was decided that public sector employees who worked in this territory will continue to be paid average wages: the positions that were funded from the regional budget will continue to be paid by the regional budget. For those who were paid from municipal budgets or worked in businesses, their employers have been recommended to apply the same policy.
Mr President, thank you very much for your support. I earlier reported to you and to the Government that yesterday we also received the first funds for the relocation of the population from potentially dangerous areas. We have all the lists compiled and approved. We continue working on this. I have met with developers in the Kursk Region. We have a sufficient amount of new housing as well as existing homes on the market, flats and houses that people can buy. Funds are being allocated based on the per square metre prices approved by the Russian Ministry of Construction. We have already relocated 447 families. This work continues.
We discuss whatever issues that emerge additionally with our colleagues at the headquarters and try to resolve them. Mr President, I would like to ask you to support a one-time payment of 10,000 rubles per person to the people displaced due to these events, because many of those who are now staying at temporary accommodation points fled their homes even without taking their documents. It goes without saying that we are providing all-out assistance to them, but we also proposed making these payments from the federal budget.
This concludes my report, and I will continue to report to you systematically, just as I did before. Thank you, and we are ready to answer questions.
Vladimir Putin: Mr Smirnov, I spoke with the Prime Minister just recently. The decision to pay 10,000 rubles to the people who need it is as good as made, and the necessary resources will be allocated. In addition, we will need to assess other damage. Please, contact our colleagues from various departments, including the Emergencies Ministry, to do this. I am referring to loss of property or housing; this will need to be done in full.
And, as I always say in such cases, we need to work directly with people, to reach out to each family. The Ministry of Healthcare is working on this, as you have already noted.
We planned to hold today’s meeting in person, but the circumstances are such that you certainly need to be at the scene now. But we will continue this work and keep in touch. This also applies to the prospects for the development of the Kursk Region as a whole.
The Kursk Region is a high-potential area, a very interesting region, and I am sure you will find it interesting to work there. And you, in turn, will certainly do everything to ensure that the Kursk Region overcomes challenges and makes progress.
But today, I would like to return to this now, today it is our priority to work with the victims, the affected families – to reach out to them directly, to be as close to the people as possible.
Thank you and stay in touch.