Website of the President of Russia: President: NewsPresidential Press and Information Office2024-03-18T22:40:01+04:00http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/feedTelephone conversation with President of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoganhttp://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/736712024-03-18T22:40:01+04:002024-03-18T21:25:00+04:00<div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin had a telephone
conversation with President of the Republic of Turkiye Recep Tayyip
Erdogan at the Turkish side’s initiative.</p></div> <div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin had a telephone
conversation with President of the Republic of Turkiye Recep Tayyip
Erdogan at the Turkish side’s initiative.</p></div> <p>The Turkish leader warmly congratulated Vladimir
Putin on his convincing victory in the presidential election and wished him further
success in his state activities for the benefit of the people of Russia.</p><p>The presidents expressed mutual desire to continue
close cooperation for developing multifaceted Russian-Turkish relations. They discussed
issues of enhancing international stability and security, in part, in the Black
Sea region.</p><p>Vladimir Putin congratulated Recep Tayyip
Erdogan and all Muslims in Turkiye on the holy month of Ramadan.</p><p> It was agreed to continue dialogue in various formats.</p> Concert marking 10th anniversary of Crimea and Sevastopol’s reunification with Russiahttp://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/736702024-03-18T22:31:15+04:002024-03-18T19:20:00+04:00<div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin attended a concert on Red Square to celebrate the 10<sup>th</sup> anniversary of Crimea
and Sevastopol’s reunification with the Russian Federation.</p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/WVkUxjP3z2vE6PoAIspGeEBjzDaNZ3qt.jpg" alt="Concert marking 10th anniversary of Crimea and Sevastopol’s reunification with Russia." /> <div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin attended a concert on Red Square to celebrate the 10<sup>th</sup> anniversary of Crimea
and Sevastopol’s reunification with the Russian Federation.</p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/WVkUxjP3z2vE6PoAIspGeEBjzDaNZ3qt.jpg" alt="Concert marking 10th anniversary of Crimea and Sevastopol’s reunification with Russia." /> <p><b>President of Russia Vladimir Putin:</b> Friends,</p><p>From the bottom of my heart, I welcome and congratulate you all on the anniversary of the reunification of Crimea and Sevastopol with Russia!</p><p>Exactly ten
years ago, taking the same stage on Red Square, I recalled that Crimea is often
called the unsinkable aircraft carrier. This is what prompted me to say that
Crimea had returned to its home harbour. </p><p>However,
Crimea is not only a strategically vital
territory, not only part of our history, our traditions and Russia’s pride.
Crimea is primarily its people. The people of Sevastopol and Crimea, they are
our pride. They remained faithful to the homeland over the decades, they never
separated themselves from Russia, and this is precisely what made it possible
for Crimea to come back to our common family. </p><p>The same is true of Donbass and Novorossiya. The people living there
expressed their will to return to their family during the days of the “Russian
Spring.” Their path home involved much greater difficulty and tragedy.
Nevertheless, we did it, and it is also a great event in the history of our
state. </p><p>Now we are making
progress and moving forward together, side by side. Just this morning, I received a report that the railway from Rostov to Donetsk, Mariupol and Berdyansk has been restored. We will continue this work and soon trains will go
straight to Sevastopol. This would be yet another alternative route – instead
of the Crimean Bridge.</p><p>We will carry
on like this together, hand in hand. This is what makes us truly stronger – not
in words but in deeds. And credit for all this goes to you, citizens of Russia.</p><p>Friends,</p><p>I have just
<a href="/events/president/news/73670">met</a> with my colleagues who travelled their own path in the presidential
campaign. They are all here. I have invited them – much to their surprise – to join
you here for this celebration. We have different approaches to achieving our national
goals but we have one Motherland, and they are here.</p><p>I wish you a happy holiday and would like them to say a few words today as well.</p><p><b>Nikolai Kharitonov:</b> Friends,</p><p>You remember that unsettling time
when the entire country was worried, but everyone believed and hoped that
Crimea would return home to its native harbour. We all remember how President of Russia Vladimir Putin spared no effort to ensure that the aspirations of the people of Crimea prevailed and that they return home.</p><p>Russia and Crimea have one and the same Motherland. Happy holiday, friends, happy 10<sup>th</sup> anniversary!
Hooray!</p><p><b>Leonid Slutsky:</b> Good
evening, Russia! Good evening, Crimea! Good evening, Sevastopol!</p><p>We remember those exciting days 10
years ago. Since that day, Crimea and Sevastopol have been on the political map
of the world as part of great Russia and will forever be.</p><p>Those were challenging days, but
there was no other choice but to return it to its home. We remember the happy
faces and – all these ten years – the radiant eyes and smiles of those who
returned home, who returned to their home harbour, those who returned to the great Russia.</p><p>Today, as we mark the tenth anniversary
of this historic day, which is forever inscribed in golden letters in Russian
history, I once again wish a happy anniversary to the courageous people of Crimea
and Sevastopol.</p><p>To Russia! To our great future! To the President of the great Russia!</p><p><b>Vladislav Davankov: </b>Friends,</p><p>I will never forget that sense of pride for my country and for my President ten years ago.</p><p>I wish you a happy holiday!</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin:</b> Happy
holiday! Long live Russia!</p><p><i>(The National Anthem of the Russian
Federation plays.)</i></p><p>We are proud of Russia!</p><p> Thank you!</p> Meeting with candidates for President of Russiahttp://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/736682024-03-18T21:50:54+04:002024-03-18T18:30:00+04:00<div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin met at the Kremlin with candidates for President of Russia.</p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/EcZ2ijjgqFIqVn6EKSF7AxFQQi0cLuHH.jpg" alt="Meeting with candidates for post of Russian Federation President." /> <div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin met at the Kremlin with candidates for President of Russia.</p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/EcZ2ijjgqFIqVn6EKSF7AxFQQi0cLuHH.jpg" alt="Meeting with candidates for post of Russian Federation President." /> <p>The meeting was attended by Deputy Speaker of the State Duma, member of the State
Duma Committee on Budget and Taxes, First Deputy Head of the New People party faction
in the State Duma (nominated by the New People party) Vladislav Davankov;
Chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, Head of the LDPR party faction
in the State Duma, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International
Affairs (nominated by the LDPR party) Leonid Slutsky; and Chairman of the State
Duma Committee on the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic, member of the Presidium of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Central
Committee (nominated by the CPRF Party) Nikolai Kharitonov.</p><p>* *
*</p><p><b>President
of Russia Vladimir Putin:</b> Good afternoon, colleagues,</p><p>I suggested
holding this meeting because we all have travelled our own path during this
election campaign.</p><p>But
I am aware, and I always operate on the premise that each person, especially a representative of a parliamentary party, has their own view of what we should
do and how we should do it in order to achieve our common national development goals.
We share our goals, which is absolutely obvious. I know this from my long and close
communication with your parties and you personally.</p><p>In this regard, I would like to discuss certain things. During the election
campaign, you met with a large number of people, your voters. At the same time
we understand, and I believe that the electoral base of each party has not
really changed. The current times has its peculiarities, which reflected on the election of the President as head of state and Supreme Commander-in-Chief. However,
I believe that the electoral base has remained unchanged.</p><p>That mean that we need to continue working actively together in the country’s parliament, working together to advance the kinds of ideas that will
help us solve the challenges the country is facing.</p><p>You
have met with a large number of people and heard what people had to say. They
told you what they expect from the Government. And it does not really matter
now what the level of this authority is, what party
it is, or what ideas it promotes. What matters is our ability to achieve the goals that we set.</p><p>We
share the understanding of certain things, such as the security of the Russian
state, foreign policy issues, the importance of achieving sovereignty in defence,
technology, monetary policy, and so on. We have discussed this many times, and I know that our positions overlap here as well.</p><p>I would certainly like to hear what the people told you and what they expected
from you in order to use this feedback for joint work and to achieve our common
goals. As a matter of fact, that’s all I wanted to hear from you, there are no super-objectives
here.</p><p>I would like to thank everyone for the civilised election campaign that was held in full compliance with the law. I hope we will be able to keep this constructive
approach in the parliament and on the interaction platform in the Federation
Council where representatives of the Russian regions work in the future in order to achieve the development goals I mentioned earlier.</p><p>Please
go ahead.</p><p> <i>To be continued</i>.</p> Telephone conversations with presidents of Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistanhttp://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/736672024-03-18T14:38:50+04:002024-03-18T12:25:00+04:00 <p>Vladimir Putin had telephone
conversations with President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev,
President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Kyrgyz Republic
Sadyr Japarov, President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, and President
of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.</p><p>The leaders warmly congratulated
Vladimir Putin on his convincing victory in the presidential election, emphasised
the broad public support for his domestic and foreign policy and the high voter
turnout, and wished him further success in his state activities.</p><p> The conversations touched on current aspects of developing
bilateral relations and some key topics on the international agenda.</p> Greetings to organisers and participants in the Garden of Memory campaignhttp://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/736692024-03-18T18:09:26+04:002024-03-18T09:30:00+04:00<div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin sent
greetings to organisers and participants in the Garden of Memory international
campaign.</p></div> <div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin sent
greetings to organisers and participants in the Garden of Memory international
campaign.</p></div> <p>The message reads, in part:</p><p>“Your remarkable project has firmly
established itself as a significant commemoration of the reunification of Crimea with Russia. It is crucial that each year, this noble mission attracts
an increasing number of new supporters and allies, spanning diverse
professions, ages, and entire families. Answering the call of their hearts, they plant trees in their
communities, create parks and gardens to honour the feats of our people in the Great Patriotic War and the bravery of all generations of defenders of the Motherland.</p><p> I am confident that such expansive, unifying initiatives
are timeless in their relevance. They hold immense value in nurturing high spiritual
and moral virtues in youth and fostering reverence for the heroic chapters of our history. Moreover, their execution contributes to enhancing environmental awareness
in society and safeguarding our invaluable natural resources.”</p> Condolences to Alexander Shirvindt’s family and friendshttp://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/736622024-03-16T14:57:45+04:002024-03-16T12:40:00+04:00<div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin sent condolences
to the family and friends of People’s Artist of the RSFSR, artistic director of the Moscow Academic Theatre of Satire Alexander Shirvindt.</p></div> <div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin sent condolences
to the family and friends of People’s Artist of the RSFSR, artistic director of the Moscow Academic Theatre of Satire Alexander Shirvindt.</p></div> <p>The message
reads, in part: </p><p>“Alexander Shirvindt
has passed away, leaving behind a generous legacy as an actor, director, and a person of an immense talent, wisdom and charm whom we all deeply loved. He was
a true legend of Russian theatre and cinema.</p><p>Throughout
his life, Alexander Shirvindt dedicated himself to the service of the arts,
leaving an indelible mark. He was invariably open and amiable with his
colleagues, students and the countless admirers of his generous and unique
talent. </p><p>This is how
we will always remember him.” </p><p>Alexander
Shirvindt passed away at the age of 89.</p><p>A distinguished
theatre and film actor, theatre director, scriptwriter, mentor and television
presenter, he endeared himself to many generations of spectators through his portrayal
of iconic characters on stage and screen. </p><p>Alexander
Shirvindt is a full cavalier of the Order for Services to the Fatherland, and winner of many prestigious professional awards. </p> Vladimir Putin voted in the Russian presidential electionhttp://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/736582024-03-15T20:58:36+04:002024-03-15T19:10:00+04:00<div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p> <p>The President voted in the Russian presidential election online.</p> </p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/N99aoJl7pQyST4wApv9LNIonWWp627l5.jpg" alt="Vladimir Putin voted in the Russian presidential election." /> <div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p> <p>The President voted in the Russian presidential election online.</p> </p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/N99aoJl7pQyST4wApv9LNIonWWp627l5.jpg" alt="Vladimir Putin voted in the Russian presidential election." /> <p>The presidential
election in the Russian Federation is being held March 15 through 17. For the first time, the polling stations are open for three days including remote online
voting, which is available in almost a third of the regions.</p> Meeting with permanent members of the Security Councilhttp://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/736572024-03-15T21:08:55+04:002024-03-15T17:45:00+04:00<div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>The President held a meeting with permanent members of the Security Council via videoconference.</p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/npSPwuZBwrms4YisMjWrn0r0CUK5PHJv.jpg" alt="Meeting with permanent members of the Security Council (via videoconference)." /> <div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>The President held a meeting with permanent members of the Security Council via videoconference.</p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/npSPwuZBwrms4YisMjWrn0r0CUK5PHJv.jpg" alt="Meeting with permanent members of the Security Council (via videoconference)." /> <p>The meeting
was attended by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Federation Council Speaker
Valentina Matviyenko, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Anton Vaino, Secretary of the Security
Council Nikolai Patrushev, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Director of the Federal
Security Service Alexander Bortnikov, Director of the Foreign Intelligence
Service Sergei Naryshkin, and Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport Sergei Ivanov.</p><p>* * *</p><p><b>President
of Russia
Vladimir Putin:</b> Good
afternoon, colleagues.</p><p>As you
know, today the presidential election started in our country in accordance with
the Constitution of Russia.</p><p>To disrupt the election process and intimidate people, at least in the areas bordering Ukraine, the neo-Nazi Kiev regime has planned and is trying to carry
out a number of demonstrative criminal armed actions. It is primarily striking civilian
residential areas in Russian territory. </p><p>About 95 percent
of the enemy missiles and shells are being destroyed by our air defence
systems. Nevertheless, unfortunately, we still have civilian casualties. All of them, and their families, will be given every necessary support and assistance.
These enemy strikes do not and will not go unpunished.</p><p>In addition,
starting March 12 of this year and until now, our adversary has made several attempts
to enter and gain a foothold on our territory, mostly by using special units,
foreign mercenaries and support forces from the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They have
carried out several subversive terrorist attacks – four in the Belgorod
direction and one in the Kursk
direction – with the aim of entering Russian territory and gaining a foothold
on it.</p><p>The enemy used
the following forces and equipment: over 2,500 personnel, 35 tanks, and about
40 combat vehicles. It did not achieve success in a single direction. It was
rebuffed and forced to retreat, or flee, to be more precise, with heavy losses.
The adversary lost about 60 percent of its personnel and over 50 percent of its
armoured vehicles.</p><p>As I said earlier,
these militarily senseless and humanitarianly criminal actions were aimed at disrupting
the elections for the President of Russia. </p><p>I am confident – our people, the people of Russia
will respond to this with even greater cohesion. Who did they decide to scare? The Russian people? The multi-ethnic people of Russia? This has never happened and,
I know, will never happen.</p><p>One more possible
goal for these attacks is to sidetrack the attention of their own people and the people in other countries whom the Kiev
regime is trying to beg, humiliatingly, for money or any kind of handout. The regime
also wants to divert attention from the real state of affairs at the battle line
where the Russian Armed Forces are confidently holding the initiative and showing
courage and heroism, fulfilling their combat missions.</p><p>They are thereby
creating the necessary, basic conditions for ensuring the security of Russia,
the domestic political stability of our state and, eventually for reaching our national
development goals, for the future of our Motherland, which will certainly be
ensured despite any attempt by our enemies and ill-wishers.</p><p>I would like
to ask the Defence Minister [Sergei Shoigu] to report on the current situation.
</p><p>Go ahead
please.</p><p><…></p> Meeting with Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Aisen Nikolayevhttp://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/736532024-03-15T16:06:37+04:002024-03-14T18:25:00+04:00<div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin had a working meeting, via videoconference, with Head of the Republic of Sakha
(Yakutia) Aisen Nikolayev. The discussion focused on the region’s socioeconomic
development.</p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/W3j9I0JS260l4sDTs5AKWdb3kywQ2vKo.jpg" alt="Meeting with Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Aisen Nikolayev (via videoconference)." /> <div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin had a working meeting, via videoconference, with Head of the Republic of Sakha
(Yakutia) Aisen Nikolayev. The discussion focused on the region’s socioeconomic
development.</p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/W3j9I0JS260l4sDTs5AKWdb3kywQ2vKo.jpg" alt="Meeting with Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Aisen Nikolayev (via videoconference)." /> <p>At the beginning of the conversation, the President noted that preparations were being
made for his working trip to the republic and in order to identify the facilities that should be visited and the problems that should be addressed,
they should discuss which avenues were crucial for the region’s development.</p><p>Aisen
Nikolayev said that all important aspects had to do with the current boom in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). In 2023, the gross regional product exceeded 2.3
trillion rubles, and in the first two months of 2024, industrial growth
amounted to 13.5 percent. Yakutia is the fifth largest oil and gas producer,
the third in coal, the second in gold, and the top supplier of diamonds, not
only in Russia, but throughout the world. Investment activity is at a high
level with 722 billion [rubles] invested last year.</p><p>According
to the head of Yakutia, the population of the republic reached a million people
last year; every fifth family has many children, and the regional government is
implementing local measures to support families with children in addition to federal ones. Over the past six years, several large medical centres have been
built in Yakutia, including a perinatal unit, a cardiovascular centre, and a cancer clinic, but the region is still in need of a local hospital for infectious
diseases; the project is at the design stage. The newly deployed rural health
centres, outpatient clinics, district hospitals, and large regional centres
have had a palpable effect on the public health situation. For the first time
in the history of Yakutia, life expectancy exceeded the national average and reached
73.67 years in November. The goal is to reach 80 years or more by 2030.</p><p>Aisen
Nikolayev singled out the fight against poverty as one of the region’s
priorities. The goal is to halve the current poverty rate of 15 percent in the next
few years, and to reduce it by two-thirds among large families.</p><p>According
to the head of Yakutia, in recent years, a total of 329 large social facilities
have been built under national projects and regional programmes. At the same
time, Aisen Nikolayev admitted that the regional government needed assistance in building more housing to relocate residents from dilapidated and emergency buildings.</p><p>They also
discussed the progress of major investment projects, in particular, the Chayandinskoye oil and gas condensate field and the Elga field, which currently
sends 28 million tonnes of coking coal to the world markets. Five factories with
a total capacity of 24.5 million tonnes have already been launched. This year, there
will be two more, with a capacity of 15 million tonnes. A 530-kilometre railway
is under construction. Next year, 15 million tonnes [of freight] will be
transported, and from 2026, the plan is to increase this amount to 40 million
tonnes. The Elga deep-water port, which is being built in the Khabarovsk
Territory, is designed to transship up to 50 million tonnes of coal. This year,
the region will begin the construction of the largest diamond mine,
Mir-Gluboky, which will ensure the future of diamond mining for the next 50 years.</p><p>The Head of the Republic said that they will need
to discuss the investment cycle and its future during the President’s visit. In the diamond mining sector, these cycles are very long and take 10 to 15 years,
which means that decisions must be taken today. Otherwise, after 2030 we will
have to face the fact that there will be no new deposits in operation as the old
ones will have become depleted. The visit’s agenda must also include building a small nuclear power plant in Yakutia to support several major mining projects.
In addition to this, there is a need to address other energy-related matters,
as well as efforts to develop Yakutia’s transport system, including building
the Lena bridge, which will make a major difference for all of northeast
Russia. Head of Yakutia Aisen Nikolayev also mentioned building higher
education facilities and asked the President to support these plans.</p><p>Aisen Nikolayev went on to brief the President
on efforts to promote the digital transition in his region. Over the past six
years, they have laid 10,000 km of fibre optic cables and will need to extend
this network by another 6,000 km in order to cover the Yakutian Arctic, as well
as parts of the Magadan Region and the Chukotka Autonomous Area, and to connect
it to the underwater fibre optic cable along the Northern Sea Route. These
projects are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026 and will greatly
enhance national telecommunications security. </p><p>Yakutia has adopted a proactive approach
towards the special military operation, just like the entire country. Aisen
Nikolayev described social support measures for the families of service
personnel. He emphasised that people from the Republic have demonstrated
heroism on the battlefield, and six Yakutians have received the Hero of Russia
title.</p><p>Aisen Nikolayev also talked about Yakutia
assuming patronage over the Donetsk People’s Republic. They have completed the programme to rebuild Kirovskoye and created the first IT centre in the DPR. A Yakutian eye clinic has opened a branch office there, and has already treated 10,000
patients and performed over 2,000 eye surgeries.</p><p>Vladimir Putin thanked the Republic and its
representatives for their support and for fulfilling their mission and duty to their Motherland along the line of contact and the frontlines. They have
demonstrated heroism, the President said, and asked the Head of the Republic to support their families.</p><p> As for the urgent challenges Yakutia is facing
today, the President said that he would ask the Government to look into all the issues Aisen Nikolayev raised during their conversation before the meeting in the republic. The President expressed confidence that the necessary decisions
will be taken on all the key issues to ensure the Republic’s sustained and steady development.</p> Meeting with Government membershttp://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/736522024-03-14T22:20:42+04:002024-03-14T17:40:00+04:00<div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin held a videoconference
meeting with the Government members.</p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/b7iayZpSSuP7nnAd8sSwIAZ9s0qe2AJH.jpg" alt="Participants in the meeting with Government members." /> <div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin held a videoconference
meeting with the Government members.</p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/b7iayZpSSuP7nnAd8sSwIAZ9s0qe2AJH.jpg" alt="Participants in the meeting with Government members." /> <p>The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Chief
of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Anton Vaino, First
Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov, First Deputy Chief of Staff
of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Kiriyenko, Deputy Prime
Minister – Chief of the Government Staff Dmitry Grigorenko, Deputy
Prime Minister – Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov, Deputy Prime
Minister – Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern
Federal District Yury Trutnev, deputy prime ministers Viktoria Abramchenko,
Tatyana Golikova, Alexander Novak, Alexei Overchuk, Marat Khusnullin, Dmitry
Chernyshenko, Presidential Aide Maxim Oreshkin, Minister of Economic
Development Maxim Reshetnikov, and Minister of Finance Anton Siluanov. Minister
of Natural Resources and Environment Alexander Kozlov, Minister of Labour and Social Protection Anton Kotyakov, Minister of Education Sergei Kravtsov,
Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova, Minister of Healthcare Mikhail Murashko,
Minister of Construction, Housing and Utilities Irek Fayzullin, and Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov were also invited to attend.</p><p>The discussion focused on the status of implementing the goals in the President’s
Address to the Federal Assembly.</p><p>First Deputy Prime Minister
Andrei Belousov gave the main report on the factors that will ensure economic
growth. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov
spoke on how to ensure technological sovereignty in the key areas of industrial
production. Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova devoted her report to the implementation of the projects and the presidential instructions in the social
sector. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko reported on the plans for the construction and development of the university campuses system. Deputy Prime Minister
Marat Khusnullin spoke about the programme for comprehensive development of 2,000 populated localities in Russia and the modernisation of the housing and utilities system. Deputy Prime Minister Viktoria Abramchenko reported on environmental
issues, including the requirement to reduce harmful emissions into the atmosphere
and reduce the pollution of major water reservoirs. She also spoke about the importance
of creating a closed-cycle economy, preserving the diversity of nature and developing environmental tourism. </p><p>* * *</p><p><b>President of Russia
Vladimir Putin: </b>Good
afternoon, colleagues.</p><p>I suggest discussing our plans in light of the <a href="/events/president/news/73652">Address</a> to the Federal
Assembly which included the national development programme. It is in fact a comprehensive action plan to be implemented in the coming years and in the medium term.</p><p>Specific goals have been set in demographics, public health, education,
child and youth upbringing, and professional education. Specific goals have
been identified to reinforce the country’s technological sovereignty and to develop
new digital platforms, to improve the urban and rural infrastructure, and to enhance
transport and other infrastructure.</p><p>New national projects will be launched as early as next year to address
these and other key areas.</p><p>In this regard, I would like to add that we have created a fairly steady
and reliable foundation to achieve these goals. The ongoing economic trends
give us reason to believe that all of this is indeed achievable and that the plans we discussed are quite actionable.</p><p>As you are aware, in February, retail price increases slowed, inflation
stabilised at 0.7 percent in February and even reached zero in the first couple
of weeks of this month. Of course, in weekly terms, these figures are somewhat approximate
and volatile, but nevertheless, this is how things are. Economic growth for January stood at 4.6 percent. GDP growth for the previous year was 3.6 percent,
which is a satisfactory and quite a good indicator overall. In January, it was
4.6 percent which makes sense since this is just the beginning of the year.</p><p>If I am
mistaken about something, my colleagues will correct me. That said, the trends that
we are now seeing give us grounds to say that the plans suggested in the Address
to the Federal Assembly are quite feasible. And it is necessary to start this work
immediately.</p><p>In the process,
it is important to ensure the detailed planning of all elements of the national
projects. This planning must coordinate the actions of all levels of government, from municipal to federal. It should coordinate every effort, from
the adoption of strategic decisions to practical implementation in every
individual area. </p><p>Using, of course,
the Government’s extensive experience, it is necessary to develop an integrated
national project management system, use digital tools to monitor implementation
and results and rely – as we keep saying – on the opinions of the people, on feedback from the public. All national projects must be aimed at reaching the national
development goals. There is absolutely no room for old parochial approaches.</p><p>I will repeat
that one of the Government’s jobs is to ensure smooth interaction, close coordination
of government bodies, economic and social sectors, the business community,
science, education, business associations and other institutions in civic society.
And, of course, the regions across the Federation must play a tangible and largely
key role in drafting and implementing these national projects.</p><p>In this context,
I suggest holding next May a joint meeting of the State Council and the Council
for Strategic Development and National Projects, with the participation of regional
governors. I believe it would be appropriate to discuss how to fulfil the assigned
tasks on the ground, so to speak, in specific regions of the Federation, as well as to determine what additional tools will be needed to achieve the practical,
tangible results that the Russian people are waiting for. </p><p>I would like
to ask the Government to define its main approaches and principles as regards
the implementation of the new national projects before the end of April. We will
also discuss this issue separately in the next few meetings.</p><p>I know that
our Government colleagues have already started this work. We met with the Prime
Minister yesterday and discussed this. I think it is time to proceed with the practical
work in every area.</p><p>Let’s get started
on today’s meeting, please.</p><p>I am giving
the floor to First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov. Go ahead,
please.</p><p><b>First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov</b>: Mr President, Mr Prime Minister, colleagues.</p><p>The Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly has articulated a key goal that must be achieved in the economic sphere by 2030. Notably, our country must become one of the top four
largest global economies.</p><p>As you know, the Russian economy
ranks fifth in GDP in terms of purchasing power parity. Our calculations show
that Russia can become the fourth largest economy in the world outperforming
Japan, provided it keeps growing sustainably by at least 2 percent annually and gradually accelerate to 3 percent by the end of the period. Overall, the country’s GDP should increase by about 20 percent by 2030.</p><p>I would like to briefly focus on five main mechanisms that will help us make this happen.</p><p>The first is to boost labour
productivity, which was extensively covered in the address. This is critically
important given the labour shortages. Furthermore, high labour productivity is
the way forward to ensure sustainable real wage growth and the demand for Russian-made goods and services.</p><p><i>(According to Belousov, this will involve a large-scale reengineering of business processes at enterprises in core non-raw materials sectors of the economy and the social sphere. By 2030, the project will cover at least 12,000
enterprises, twice the current number, and all 288,000 social institutions. It
is also imperative to expand the use of digital technology. In this regard, the effektivnost.rf platform, launched in the autumn of 2023, showcasing the best
practices in domestic digital solutions, plays a key role. By 2030, the platform will have featured approximately 600 services and standard solutions.)</i></p><p>The second mechanism includes ensuring
investment growth. Today, investment activity is high and reflects the large scale
of the ongoing structural overhaul of the economy. Based on 2023 data,
investment in fixed capital increased by 9.8 percent, which is almost triple of the GDP growth rate. The goal is to maintain the outstripping growth of investment throughout the 2025–2030 period.</p><p><i>(To achieve this, the First Deputy Prime Minister said, the focus will
be on ensuring a predictable environment for investors. Additionally, efforts
will continue to implement the regional investment standard. Currently, this
standard has been introduced in 85 regions and endorsed by businesses. In 2023,
the four new regions – the Lugansk and Donetsk people’s republics, and the Kherson
and Zaporozhye regions – joined this effort. They will implement this tool by June 2024. It is likewise imperative to stimulate investment by providing
investment tax deductions and ensuring the stability of the financial market,
which will make it possible to transform savings into investment in the Russian
economy. The capitalisation of the Russian stock market in 2023 stood at about
34 percent of GDP. By 2030, it should reach 66 percent. On January 1, the Long-Term Individual Savings Programme was launched, a new type of individual
investment account has been introduced, and simplified access to the Russian
financial market was provided for foreign financial organisations from friendly
countries.)</i></p><p>The third mechanism
is support and build-up of non-primary non-energy exports in the markets of friendly
countries. In accordance with the address [to the Federal Assembly], the volume
of these exports must increase at least by two thirds and exports in the agro-industrial sector must go up by 50 percent. This is a very high, ambitious goal. </p><p>Support for exporting companies will be allocated at all stages of their export project
cycles. The promotion of Russian products in external markets will be ensured
by providing them with preferential, investment, pre-export and trade
financing.</p><p>Special emphasis
will be placed on promoting Russian goods and brands under the aegis of the ‘Made
in Russia’ programme. Early this year, the first Made in Russia festival-and-fair
took place in China with great success.</p><p>Russian producers
will be helped in adapting their products to the requirements of new markets by the certification and homologation of their goods. </p><p>The development
of the required infrastructure not only inside the country but also in friendly
countries is a major goal. The plans include assistance for private businesses
in establishing transport and logistics centers, industrial zones and the necessary
port, storage and demonstration facilities abroad. Moreover, Russian exporters
will be reimbursed for part of their transport expenses.</p><p>The fourth
mechanism for expediting growth is support for small and medium-sized
companies. By 2030, their share of profit per employee is supposed to grow by at least 23 percent over 2023. This is faster than GDP growth rates by 20
percent. </p><p><i>(Further,
Andrei Belousov explained what measures are required to reach this goal. Thus,
he spoke about expanding financial support for small and medium-sized companies,
developing quality infrastructure, creating a uniform digital system of measures for federal and regional support of small businesses, encouraging them
to enter global markets and simplifying the terms for creating new businesses).</i> </p><p>And, finally,
the fifth mechanism is the implementation of import substitution projects. Of course, import substitution as such is not an end in itself. However, within
reasonable limits, it delivers on two targets at once: promoting economic
sovereignty and stimulating growth.</p><p>Import substitution
will be achieved with two main groups of measures.</p><p>The first
group includes system-wide import substitution measures for a broad range of products. These include preferential loans, including those under the cluster investment
platform and the Industrial Development Fund, as well as subsidies for research
and development.</p><p>The second group
of measures is the launch of technological sovereignty projects as described in the address [to the Federal Assembly]. Each of them is aimed at manufacturing
specific lines of high-tech products based on their own developments. These
projects are distinguished by the provision of guaranteed demand for critical
technology development, training of personnel and special support measures.
Tentatively, there will be 12 projects in this category, including machine-tool
construction and robotics, new materials and chemicals, provision of food
security, and new medical technology. The relevant deputy prime ministers will supervise
these projects.</p><p>Mr President,
the use of these mechanisms will allow the Russian economy to respond to current
and future challenges. They will carry it on a trajectory of subsequent sustainable
growth and allow it to reach the key goals set in the economic part of the Address
of the President of the Russian Federation to the Federal Assembly.</p><p>Thank you
for your attention.</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>:
Thank you.</p><p>How many small
businesses were established in our country last year? I believe, 1.2 million.</p><p><b>Andrei Belousov</b>: About 1.5 million, something close
to this number.</p><p>Last year
was unique in this respect. We intend to maintain this trend today. However, it
can only be maintained with the help of the new instruments that we are now
developing. </p><p><b>Vladimir
Putin</b>: Yes, it was unique,
indeed, because our companies replaced what was produced earlier by the foreign
participants in the market of economic activity. In my opinion, substitution went
very well. In many cases, we even improved the quality of some products and reduced the delivery time to the market. It was a good job.</p><p>Thank you.</p><p><…></p> The launch of a high-speed railway between Moscow and St Petersburg and the 7th power unit at the Leningrad NPPhttp://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/736512024-03-14T22:21:55+04:002024-03-14T15:55:00+04:00<div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>The President took part,
via videoconference, in a ceremony to launch the full-scale implementation of the project to build a high-speed railway between Moscow and St Petersburg and to pour cement into the foundation of the nuclear island for the 7th power unit
at the Leningrad NPP.</p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/x5TMR6qNL1egsVBqcAH6MGZpYwiNnDZQ.jpg" alt="In a ceremony to launch the full-scale implementation of the project to build a high-speed railway between Moscow and St Petersburg and to pour cement into the foundation of the nuclear island for the 7th power unit at the Leningrad NPP." /> <div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>The President took part,
via videoconference, in a ceremony to launch the full-scale implementation of the project to build a high-speed railway between Moscow and St Petersburg and to pour cement into the foundation of the nuclear island for the 7th power unit
at the Leningrad NPP.</p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/x5TMR6qNL1egsVBqcAH6MGZpYwiNnDZQ.jpg" alt="In a ceremony to launch the full-scale implementation of the project to build a high-speed railway between Moscow and St Petersburg and to pour cement into the foundation of the nuclear island for the 7th power unit at the Leningrad NPP." /> <p>The railway line
will pass through six areas with a population of about 30 million – [the cities
of] Moscow and St Petersburg and the Leningrad, Novgorod, Tver and Moscow
regions. The new railway will cut travel time between the two capitals to two
hours and 15 minutes if the train runs with no stops en route.</p><p>The Leningrad NPP
opened in 1973 and has been generating 55 percent of the electricity needs of St Petersburg and the Leningrad Region. The 7th power unit is scheduled to be
launched in 2030. It is being constructed with the use of cutting-edge
technology that meets international and Russian safety requirements.</p><p>* * *</p><p><b>President of Russia Vladimir Putin</b>: Good afternoon, colleagues.</p><p>Today we will launch two major construction projects: the 7th power unit at the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant and a high-speed railway between Moscow and St Petersburg.</p><p>Both of them require
a lot of hard work. I wish success to everyone who will take part in these
projects. I am confident that all our plans will be implemented at the highest
professional level.</p><p>I would like to point out that these two projects are extremely important for our economy and industry, for building up our infrastructure, technological and energy potential, for developing our regions and improving the quality of people’s lives.</p><p>It is necessary to emphasise that we must use primarily Russian solutions and equipment during construction. This is crucial for the further strengthening of the country’s technological independence.</p><p>I would like to remind you that this task was set in my Address to the Federal Assembly, when I also announced the launch of national projects aimed at our technological sovereignty, including regarding all types of transport, as well as nuclear and energy technologies, where domestic technologies account for 99 percent of the solutions. The implementation of these projects will become a powerful impetus for the technological modernisation of industry and the qualitative growth of our economy as a whole. </p><p>I would like
to note that Russia is the world leader in nuclear technology. We are helping
foreign countries develop their nuclear energy industry almost from scratch. An entire industry is being built; specialists undergo training and the infrastructure is developed in conformity with the strictest environmental
standards. Today, Rosatom is building 22 energy units in seven countries.</p><p>We are also
active in developing the nuclear energy industry inside the country. We are planning
to bring the share of nuclear power generation in Russia’s overall energy
balance to 25 percent by 2045.</p><p>A new, efficient
energy unit at the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant will be a good contribution to these efforts. Its launch will enhance energy security in the entire
Northwestern Federal District of Russia and will provide consumers with
greener, cleaner electricity for years ahead. </p><p>In general,
the opening of new social and industrial facilities and the implementation of large infrastructure projects, including high-speed railways, largely depend on the development of the nuclear power industry and other generating capacities
throughout the country. </p><p>As I mentioned
earlier, the railway between Moscow and St Petersburg will become a flagship,
starting stage in this respect. It will pass through six regions of the Federation
with about 30 million people. This is around 20 percent of Russia’s entire population.</p><p>In perspective,
such dedicated high-speed routes will also connect other Russian regions and will facilitate the growth of tourism and business activity.</p><p>What else
is important to note? The high-speed railway project implies large-scale
production cooperation and the participation of many labour collectives and engineering teams. Hence, it will provide many branches of our economy with a good impetus for development. We will take one more step towards strengthening
our national technological sovereignty. </p><p>We recently
discussed with our colleagues the main approaches to fulfilling this large
project. Now it is time to move to practical implementation. However, I must say – and everyone involved in this work knows – that we discussed this subject a long time ago. But now we are financially, economically and technologically
mature enough to carry out this large and necessary project for our economy.
Let’s get started.</p><p><…></p> Address to the citizens of Russiahttp://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/736502024-03-13T20:03:36+04:002024-03-14T10:00:00+04:00 <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/5JMFEvzVAPlv3oMnEAGCenNlx3OdjiGQ.jpg" alt="Address to the citizens of Russia." /> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/5JMFEvzVAPlv3oMnEAGCenNlx3OdjiGQ.jpg" alt="Address to the citizens of Russia." /> <p><b>President of Russia Vladimir Putin</b>: Citizens of Russia, friends,</p><p>Tomorrow, March 15, the polling
stations will open across our vast country, and the three-day voting in the presidential election will begin.</p><p>This is the eighth time a presidential
election will be held in Russia, which shows the inviolability of the principle
of holding regular elections which is one of the basic principles of a democratic state. The outcome will directly affect the development of the country in the coming years.</p><p>This is an important high-stakes event
and, as the incumbent head of state, I believe it is necessary to address you
today.</p><p>I would like to emphasise that the people are the only source of power in our country. This key legal provision is
enshrined in the Constitution. It means that only you, the citizens of Russia,
determine the future of the Fatherland.</p><p>You will not just cast your vote,
but will firmly declare your will and aspirations, and your personal
involvement in the future of Russia, because an election is a step into the future.</p><p>I am confident that you realise that
our country is going through a difficult period, and we are facing formidable
challenges in almost all spheres. In order for us to continue to meet them with
dignity and to successfully overcome difficulties, we need to stay united and confident in ourselves.</p><p>We have proven that we can stand
together as we defend Russia’s freedom, sovereignty, and security, uphold our
values, traditions, history and culture, and act in line with what conscience,
truth and justice are telling us. We have our own view on what kind of a country
we want and how we should build it, and what plans we should carry out. Today,
it is critically important not to stray from this path, to achieve what we have
set out to achieve, and to fulfil our ambitious goals.</p><p>So, a lot depends on each of you in the coming days. Let me be frank with you: participating in the election today
is a manifestation of patriotism. This is well understood by the residents of Donbass and Novorossiya who, under the most trying circumstances, voted during referendums
on unity with Russia and will make their choice now as well.</p><p>Our military on the frontlines will
vote as well. They display courage and heroism, defend our Fatherland, and participate in the elections to set an example for all of us.</p><p>It is imperative to confirm our
unity and our resolve to move forward together. Your every vote is valuable and important. So, I urge you to exercise your right to vote during the next three
days. Polling stations will open everywhere, in every city, town, and village
of our large country.</p><p>Friends,</p><p>All of us, the multi-ethnic people
of Russia, are one big family. We care and worry about our native country. We
want it to flourish, to be strong, free, and prosperous. We want the standard
of living and quality of life to improve. And so it will be. We will do
everything exactly the way we want it.</p><p>So, please come to the polling
stations and make your civic and patriotic position clear, vote for the candidate of your choice, and for the prosperous future of our beloved Russia.</p><p> Thank you.</p> Interview to Dmitry Kiselevhttp://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/736482024-03-14T01:56:50+04:002024-03-13T10:00:00+04:00<div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin answered
questions from Dmitry Kiselev.</p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/7Cl0VBjtGTkN1WQL1VDcvHcOajdGBFgk.JPG" alt="Interview to Dmitry Kiselev." /> <div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin answered
questions from Dmitry Kiselev.</p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/7Cl0VBjtGTkN1WQL1VDcvHcOajdGBFgk.JPG" alt="Interview to Dmitry Kiselev." /> <p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: Mr President, when delivering your Address
[to the Federal Assembly], you were figuratively pulling trillion by trillion
out of your sleeve. As a matter of fact, you proposed an absolutely astonishing
plan of the country’s development, truly astonishing. That will be a different
Russia, with a completely new infrastructure and social system – nothing
short of a dreamland.</p><p>But it
makes me feel like asking you your favourite question quoting Vladimir
Vysotsky, ”Where is the money, Zina?“ Have we earned it or not? </p><p><b>President of Russia Vladimir Putin</b>: Yes, of course we did. </p><p>What is
more, this plan is, first of all, the result of painstaking work by the expert
community, experts from the Government and Administration. Everything fits in the budgetary rules and is actually rather conservative given that certain
experts believe that the revenues should and will be higher. And, therefore, we
should have planned larger expenditures because this should directly impact
economic development prospects.</p><p>Overall,
this is the right thing to do. Back in 2018, we also planned to allocate
additional eight trillion rubles to economic and social development, but later
on we increased this figure. I believe that it is quite possible, if things
work out the way the optimists from the above-mentioned expert community say
they will, that we will be able to – we should and we will do that –
increase our expenditures in a number of areas. </p><p><b>Dmitry
Kiselev</b>: So,
we are talking about a six-year period, right?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Exactly. We are talking precisely about a six-year period. At the present moment, we are working on a three-year budget,
that is the budget for a three-year planning period. But when we were preparing
for the Address – I use the pronoun ”we“ because there was a whole team working on that – we naturally assumed that we should calculate
our revenues and expenditures in the areas that we deem crucial and high-priority for a six-year period.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: But still, some projects are truly mind-blowing.
For example, the Dzhubga–Sochi highway: 130 kilometres, of which
90 kilometres are tunnels and the rest must be bridges, judging by the landscape. One and a half billion rubles in the first three years alone, with
the highway ideally planned to be ready by 2030. Is this really necessary and will we have enough for our victory? </p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: People need this road. Families with
children cannot reach Sochi by car. They all stop somewhere around Gelendzhik
or Novorossiysk because the road is too challenging – it's a serpentine.</p><p>There
exist several construction options. We are going to discuss the issue shortly,
in the next few days. Either it will be a road to Dzhubga, or first the road
from Dzhubga to Sochi. Some Government members suggest doing it step by step.
Others believe that all should be done at once, otherwise there will be a bottleneck from Dzhubga to Sochi.</p><p>The first section of the road, if we look at it from Novorossiysk, is quite good,
and the quality of the pavement is not bad, but it is very narrow. If we
continue like that, like the first section, all the way to Sochi, there could
be traffic jams in that small space, and they already are quite numerous there
now.</p><p>Anyway,
we will discuss this – specific ways and stages – with the professionals, but it should be done. It is necessary to determine, of course,
the final cost of the project to ensure that everyone remains within the financial plans.</p><p>The interests of people are in the first place, but the interests of the economy
are also a priority. The development of territories in the south of the country
is very important.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: One would assume that the nation is getting better-off rapidly, since we
can afford such large-scale investments, especially in view of the special
military operation and almost 15,000 sanctions, which are absolutely
horrendous. All the more so as we also want to reduce poverty, including among
large families. That's a bold objective, isn't it?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: No, it isn't. Here, let me get back to the subject of that highway. When
I discussed it with members of the Government – and the Ministry of Finance is
always stingy, in a good way, conservative about such spending – the Minister of Finance [Anton Siluanov] told me, and I'm quoting, ”Only those
who have never travelled this road are against its construction“.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: So we have to get all the Government to go there.</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Well, he is right, because it's especially important for families with
children.</p><p>As for the question of whether we are getting richer. The economy is
growing, that's a fact, and it's not us who have registered it, but
international economic and financial organisations. Russia has got ahead of Germany in terms of purchasing power parity and replaced it as the fifth
largest economy in the world.</p><p>As far as I know, the German economy shrank by 0.3 percent last
year, while Russian economy grew by 3.6 percent. Japan grew by a small
percentage. So if the rate of growth remains the same as it is today, there is
a good chance that Russia will overtake Japan as the fourth largest
economy, and that might happen quite quickly.</p><p>And yet, let us be honest and objective, the quality
of our economies is not the same. In terms of purchasing power parity, that is the size of the economy, Russia is actually the fifth largest economy in the world and has
every chance of overtaking Japan. But the structure of the economy in these two
countries has an obvious advantage over that of Russia.</p><p>There is still a lot to be done for our country to take a decent position not only in terms of purchasing power parity, but also
in terms of [GDP] per capita. That is the first thing. Secondly, it's important
that the structure of the economy itself changes, becomes more efficient, more
modern and more innovative. This is what we're going to work on.</p><p>As far as revenues are concerned, the purchasing
power parity is a very important indicator. This is the volume, or the size of the economy. This means that the state receives money to address its strategic
priorities through the tax system at all levels. This gives us the opportunity
to develop in the way we see fit.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: Mr President, you have mentioned economic structure, the need for structural change in the economy. This is exactly what you set forth in your
Address to the Federal Assembly and the challenge is exactly this: make
innovative sectors grow faster than the economy as a whole.</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Of course.</p><p>As I said, we need to work on the structure. That will determine the future of our economy, the future of labour resources, the efficiency, and labour productivity .</p><p>One of the main challenges today is to enhance labour productivity. Given
shortage of workers, the only one way to achieve effective development is to enhance labour productivity. This in turn means that we need to inject
innovation into our economy and aim for greater robotic process automation.
Today, as far as I can remember, there are ten robots for every
10,000 workers, whereas we need at least 1,000 robots for every
10,000 workers. That seems to be the case in Japan now.</p><p>Then, people need to be trained to operate these new machines, not only
robots but also other advanced production tools. So there is another challenge,
the training of skilled workers.</p><p>We have identified specific areas, including engineering training, where
this is a priority. You may be aware that 30 state‑of‑the‑art engineering
schools have been opened in different parts of the country. Another 20 will
open this year; there will be 50 in total. Fifty more are in the pipeline for the next few years.</p><p>So these areas are the future of our nation. We will explore and develop these
areas.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: Just to make sure we've covered the sanctions. A lot of people have
voiced the idea of creating a government body specifically to respond to sanctions, to counter them. Is that being planned or do you think it would be
pointless?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: There's simply no need. The Government, the Central Bank, the Security
Council analyse everything that our foes do. Many things are done not even for political or military reasons, although they are declared, but for reasons of competition.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: Unscrupulous, unfair competition.</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Unfair competition, masked by political or military considerations. This
has been the case in the aircraft industry and in many other sectors.</p><p>Well, the world is the way it is and we have adapted to its realities. We
know who we are dealing with. And so far, as the results of our work show, we
have been quite effective.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: But the West's cunning does not stop there. In your Address to the Federal Assembly, you said, and I quote, “We are also aware
of the Western attempts to draw us into an arms race,
thereby exhausting us, mirroring the strategy they successfully employed
with the Soviet Union in the 1980s.” What is our margin of safety under the conditions
of what is effectively an arms race?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: We need to ensure maximum
return on every ruble invested in defence industry. Indeed, during the Soviet
era, no one was concerned about these expenditures, unfortunately, efficiency
was not a priority. Defence spending accounted for about 13% of GDP of the country – the Soviet Union.</p><p>I will not refer to our statistics – instead, I will cite the Stockholm Institute: last year our defence spending was four percent, and this
year it is 6.8 percent, meaning we have grown by 2.8 percentage points. This
is a noticeable increase, but not critical at all. In the Soviet Union, it was 13 percent,
whereas we are currently at 6.8 percent. </p><p>It should be noted that defence spending accelerates the economy, making
it more dynamic. However, there are limitations to consider, as we understand.
The age-old question remains: what is more beneficial – guns or butter? We
have this in mind.</p><p>Although, as I mentioned, our modern defence industry is good in that it
not only indirectly affects civilian industry sectors but also uses innovations
necessary for defence industry to produce civilian goods. This is an extremely important
thing. </p><p>Of course, our spending is incomparable. How much do they have in the United States? 800…</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: It's already nearly 900. </p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Nearly 900 – 860 or 870
billion [US dollars]. They are absolutely incomparable to our spending. </p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: It seems to me that they are
embezzling because they have no hypersonic [weapons], nothing… What is it? </p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: I'll explain what it is. The issue is that significant portions of their funds are allocated towards
maintenance, not just salaries, but also towards maintaining bases worldwide.
It's difficult to track where all the money goes, as it seems to disappear into
a black hole. This is where the majority of the embezzlement occurs. Although
significant amounts of money which are difficult to evaluate are also spent on producing means of destruction, weapons in general.</p><p>If we calculate the cost of their well-known anti-missile defence system
and one of our main means to overcome missile defence systems – the ”Avangard“ intercontinental missile with a glide vehicle of intercontinental range, the values are simply incomparable. Essentially, we nullified
all their efforts and contributions to the missile defence system. This is the appropriate course of action. </p><p>Additionally, it is imperative that our Armed Forces' economy aligns with
current demands.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: The word ”justice“
is a magical word for the Russian language. You use it very carefully, but once
you pronounced it in your Address and it sounded like thunder. You said that
the distribution of the tax burden should become more equitable in Russia and suggested that the Government should think about it. In which direction should
it think? </p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Truly, the distribution of the tax burden should be fair in the sense that corporations, legal entities, and individuals who earn more should contribute more to the national treasury, towards
addressing nationwide problems, primarily towards fight against poverty. </p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: A progressive tax?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Yes, essentially a progressive
tax. </p><p>I would not like to go into details now, as we need to work more on this.
We need to build a system that really yields greater returns for solving
primarily social issues and challenges facing the state in this area. </p><p>We plan to reduce the tax burden, for example, for large families, and take further steps in this direction. I believe that society will perceive this
as normal. This is the first thing. </p><p>Secondly. What does business ask of us? It asks us to determine the taxation system, and not to change it further, so that it remains stable. This
is the most important request and requirement from the business. </p><p>The Government is to address this issue as soon as possible and work
together with the State Duma deputies to present proposals.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: A progressive tax – won't
we scare someone away? We used to be afraid of scaring someone away with this
progressive tax.</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: No, I don't think so. In principle, we have this system in place. Even those who were ardent supporters
of the flat scale, the authors of the flat scale, now believe that on the whole
we are ripe for a much more selective approach. </p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: During your Address, you
thanked ”colleagues from the Government“ – that was the wording.
Does this mean that Mr Mishustin's government – if you win – will
remain in place?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: We should talk about this
after the election, after the votes have been counted. It seems to me that now
it is simply incorrect. But on the whole, as we can see, the Government is
working well – the results are obvious, and that is objective data.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: You mentioned reducing the tax
burden on large families. Children and the demographic situation – these
topics were very extensive in your Address. Indeed, the issue is quite painful,
because demographically Russia is melting away. Last year was an anti-record of birth rate.</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: I think the birth rate was
1.31 or 1.39…. </p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: It’s 1.39 children per woman
capable of child-bearing.</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Of childbearing age.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: Perhaps ideally we should
double it – [to a ratio of] three. Because this is literally a disaster
for society. </p><p>You have proposed a fairly large-scale programme to support motherhood
and demographic stimulation. Is there any confidence that these measures will
reverse the downward trajectory to an upward one?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: On the whole, there are plans
to spend, through various channels, up to 14 trillion rubles on all
measures to support families with children over the six-year period. It is an enormous amount of money.</p><p>There are numerous areas of support for families with children –
from general social support, such as building or renovating kindergartens,
building new schools and renovating old ones, modernising them in accordance
with the present-day needs, to supporting women from pregnancy till the child turns
18. Allowance is currently paid to nearly 400,000 women, which is almost every
third pregnant woman. Over ten million children receive child benefit. This is
a serious thing.</p><p>We have
kept the system of maternity capital. We have continued with the payments of 450,000 rubles for mortgage repayment to families where a third child is
born – the relevant decisions are underway. We have preserved mortgage
benefits for families with children. In other words, there is a whole package
of very diverse family support measures.</p><p>Of course, as you have already mentioned, this is also about fighting poverty,
because, obviously, families with children face way more difficulties than
childless families, which is no surprise as the expenses are huge.
Nevertheless, we have achieved considerable progress in this area. </p><p>Thus, 20
years ago we had, I think, 29 percent of the population, or 42 million people, living below the poverty line. Today, according to the latest reports, we have 9.3 percent, which is still 13.5 million
people. A very large number, indeed. We need to do everything possible to bring
it down to at least seven percent. As for families with many children, the figures are more modest, but they also need to be improved.</p><p>What are
we referring to when speaking of poor birth rates? I have already said many
times, and experts say this, – these are objective things – that we
have had two dramatic declines in the birth rates. One was in 1943‑1944, during
the Great Patriotic War. A comparable decline followed immediately after the collapse of the Soviet Union, a very similar one, with the same decline in the birth rate. </p><p>The reason is clear: the breakdown of the social support system. No matter how weak it was
in the USSR, it was there anyway, but after the collapse of the Soviet Union it
basically ceased to exist, leading to widespread poverty. There is no need to explain. Anyway, the planning horizon of a family shrank; the birth rate went
down to that of the war years. Then we had a rebound. And now we have quite a large number of children, young people who will reach adulthood and childbearing age in a few years, and we assume that the rates will go up.</p><p>What you
have mentioned is a worldwide trend. There are only a few developed countries
that have positive demographic dynamics, while in the rest of the developed
world everything is on the decline. This is a complex problem, which has to do
with the economy, as well as life priorities of women. It is better not to interfere right now, let the demographers deal with it and come up with a solution.</p><p>But you
know what is encouraging? The public sentiment. In Russia, 70 percent of men and 72 percent of women would like to have two or more children, and the state should support them in that regard. We are working on an extensive
package of support measures which need to be implemented, and we will do that.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: However, there is still no certainty that
those measures will turn the situation around.</p><p>In the late 1990s – it is a well-known story which you have spoken of yourself – you saved your children from fire: you went into the burning
building, to the second floor. It was not until later that you remembered about
the money left in the house. The money burnt. This shows your priorities:
children first, then money. </p><p>Maybe
the same approach should be adopted on a nationwide scale? Not just
14 [trillion], but to go all in – to launch such a programme
that would guarantee a turn of the tide?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: You know, you have to, as they say, follow
the developments. In the early 2000s, we introduced a number of demographic
initiatives, including maternity capital, and a number of other measures, which
have produced tangible positive results. This means we are capable of achieving
desired goals.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: So we already have the relevant experience?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: We have the experience, for sure. Using
this experience and other best practices, we should ultimately aim to achieve
the goals we set for ourselves. As the situation changes, we will adjust the existing
measures or supplement them with something else.</p><p>For instance, we have declared the year 2024 the Year of the Family. We have
launched a new national project entitled ”Family.“ It includes elements
that we have never used before. For example, there are plans to allocate
75 billion [rubles] to regions where birth rates are lower than the national average. These are mostly the central regions of Russia and the country's northwest. 75 billion is a decent amount of money. It is just
that they need to be used wisely.</p><p>Elderly
care is another aspect. There are other support measures as well. By raising
the birth rate and increasing life expectancy, we will be able to stabilise the country’s population. This is the main overall indicator that will either demonstrate
our success or, possibly, highlight the need for greater attention to the relevant work from all administrative and government bodies.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev:</b> Sure, but there is also a third
tool for solving demographic problems all over the world, and that is
immigration. What figures can we expect for this six-year period and what does
the systematic approach in this work means?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: As for migrant workers, we do
not have many immigrants in our country compared to other countries: they make
up 3.7 percent of the total number of workers. But they are concentrated
in the regions with the highest economic activity, and there are certainly more
of them out there. These are the Moscow Region, Moscow, the Northwestern region
and some regions in the North, where they have decent salaries. However, no
doubt, this is an issue that requires special attention on the part of the authorities, both local, regional and federal.</p><p>What else I would like to add here? It is a very important thing. When
labour migrants are attracted, they always say it is necessary to do so because
of the shortage of workers. Our entrepreneurs should understand that the situation for them in terms of labour availability will not change for the better in the coming years – they will face labour shortages.</p><p>I would like to repeat once again that in order to solve this issue in a totally different way it is necessary to increase labour productivity and reduce the number of workers in those areas where it can be done, achieving
even greater results by introducing modern technologies. As we have already
discussed, this requires investment in this area and personnel training. This
is the primary thing we have to think about.</p><p>Generally, of course, migration policy is an important economic tool.
There is no harm in looking at the lesson learned of other countries. First and foremost, of course, we should talk about the repatriation of our compatriots.
The concepts of repatriation and compatriots are already reflected in our
regulatory framework, there is no need to repeat them here.</p><p>We should talk about attracting people who perhaps do not intend to move
to the Russian Federation, but by virtue of their qualifications and talents in various fields can make a significant contribution to the development of our state,
to the development of Russia. We would be glad to attract such people as well.</p><p>As for traditional labour migrants, we also need to think about ways to prepare them for coming to Russia, including with our partners in the countries
where they permanently reside. This includes studying the Russian language, our
traditions, culture, and so on. It is necessary to look after them here too, to treat them humanely. In other words, it is necessary to make efforts to integrate them into our society in a natural way. All of this together should
have a corresponding, I hope, positive effect.</p><p>Naturally, everyone should observe our traditions and the laws of the Russian Federation. And, certainly, sanitary and other norms must be
strictly observed. Ensuring the security of citizens of the Russian Federation
must come first.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: Russians are probably the most
divided nation in the world. You had a conversation with participants of the Leaders of Russia competition, and one of your interlocutors said that we
discovered in the Zaporozhye region that they were Russians just like us. I got
the impression that it sounded like some kind of revelation to them. In general, and it is true, new regions are joining us now, and Odessa is a Russian city. I suppose there are high expectations for this direction too?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Absolutely! The population
density in these regions has always been quite high, and the climate is
wonderful.</p><p>As for Donbass, it has been an industrially developed region since the times of the Soviet Union. The USSR has made huge investments in this region,
in its coal mining industry, in its metallurgical industry. Indeed, investments
are required to ensure that all production is up-to-date, and people's living
conditions, their working conditions are organised in a completely different
way – not as they were a couple of decades ago.</p><p>As for Novorossiya, it is a region characterised by a strongly developed
agriculture. Here, we will do everything to support both traditional spheres of activity and the new ones that smoothly fit into these regions and with people's
desire to develop them. You know, the people there are very talented.</p><p>What is more, as I have already said, even taxes are already going to the federal budget from there. We need to help them at this stage, to support them,
to take them to the Republican, nationwide Russian level. They will start working,
and this will happen very quickly.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: Historically, it is quite
clear that Nazi regimes do not dissolve themselves but disappear as a result of military defeat. This was the case in Germany, in Italy, and in Japan. The same will obviously be happening with the Bandera Nazi regime. We are now
advancing all along the front line, judging by reports from both the Defence Ministry
and our war correspondents.</p><p>Did we finally
manage to find a strategy when our casualties are reduced on the offensive
compared to the defence? This is a rather unconventional task to accomplish in the art of war, but it always holds back the offensive. It is prudence, and it's absolutely reasonable with respect to our heroic warriors. Yet it raises a question: how we can advance with minimal losses?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: The question is clear and fair. The answer is
also quite simple: we need to increase our weapons in terms of its number and power, while also improving the effectiveness of the forces and means used.
This includes both tactical and army air force, as well as strategic aviation.
By this I mean, of course, within those aspects that are acceptable for armed
conflicts of this kind. Here, I refer to ground weapons, including
high-precision ones, also artillery and armoured vehicles. It is no
exaggeration to say that we are developing by leaps and bounds.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: In this direction?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Yes, this is exactly what's happening today. And this is the answer to your question: the more weapons we have and the more
powerful they are, the fewer casualties we suffer.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: And yet one raises a question. What price are we
ready to pay for this – perhaps ”project“ is not the proper
word – challenge we have been historically forced to face?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Look, every human life is priceless, every
single one. The loss of a loved one to a family, to any family, is a tremendous
grief.</p><p>But what
is the key point here? The point is to make clear what we are doing. And what
are we doing? We met today and, as you have noticed, one of the participants in the conversation said: we were surprised to find out that there are Russians there
just like us. So we came to the rescue of these people. Basically, this is the answer to your question.</p><p>If we
leave these people today, tomorrow our losses may increase many times over. Our
children will have no future, because we will feel insecure, we will be a third- or fourth-class country. No one will factor us in if we cannot defend
ourselves, so the consequences could be catastrophic for the Russian statehood.
That is the answer. </p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: While the Americans seem to be talking about
negotiations and strategic stability, they declare the need to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia. Our position is as follows, ”We are open to negotiations, but the time for goodwill gestures has passed, it's over.“
Does it mean that there will be no negotiations?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: We have never refused to negotiate.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: But is there a compromise without goodwill
gestures? How can it be achieved then?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Let me try to explain that. I have already said
this many times, but if it needs to be repeated, I will. When we were holding
talks in Istanbul, Türkiye, with the negotiators from the other side, we ended
up having a thick folio, a document, which was actually a draft treaty. We have
an excerpt from that treaty in the Presidential Executive Office; it was
initialled by the head of the negotiating group on the Ukrainian side,
Mr Arakhamia. You can see his signature on it. But then, as you already
know, Mr Arakhamia himself publicly told the world – it was also at a meeting with journalists, I believe, even with foreign ones – that former
Prime Minister of Great Britain Mr Johnson arrived and convinced them not
to sign the treaty and, therefore, not to implement it. And so they started to bring up the topic you have just mentioned – we need to defeat Russia on the battlefield.</p><p>Are we
ready to negotiate? We sure are. But we are definitely not ready for talks that
are based on some kind of ”wishful thinking“ which comes after the use of psychotropic drugs, but we are ready for talks based on the realities
that have developed, as they say in such cases, on the ground. This is the first thing.</p><p>Secondly,
we have already been promised a lot of things many times before. We were
promised that NATO would not expand to the East, but then we saw NATO at our
borders. We were promised, without delving into history, that the internal
conflict in Ukraine would be resolved by peaceful, political means. As we
remember, three foreign ministers from Poland, Germany and France came to Kiev
and promised that they would be guarantors of these agreements. One day later,
the coup d'état took place. We were promised that the Minsk agreements would be
honoured, and then they publicly announced that they never intended to fulfil
their promises, instead they only took a pause to arm the Bandera regime in Ukraine. We were promised a lot of things, so that is why promises alone are
not enough.</p><p>For us
to hold negotiations now just because they are running out of ammunition would
be ridiculous. Nevertheless, we are open to a serious discussion, and we are
eager to resolve all conflicts, especially this one, by peaceful means.
However, we must be sure that this is not just another pause that the enemy
wants to use for rearmament, but rather a serious conversation with security
guarantees for the Russian Federation.</p><p>We know
various options that are being discussed, we know the ”lures“ they
are going to show us in order to convince us that the time has come. Once
again, we want to resolve all disputes and this particular dispute, this
particular conflict, by peaceful means. And we are ready for that, we want
that. But this should be a serious negotiation with provision of security for the opposing side, and in this case we are primarily interested in the security
of the Russian Federation. That is what we will proceed from.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: Mr President, I am afraid we
appear too generous, don't we? Wouldn’t it be the case that we conclude another
agreement with them and they will cheat us once again? And we will console
ourselves with the thought that we did it all honestly and it was they who
cheated. Are we doomed to always end up with egg on our face?</p><p>Back in the 1990s, the United States coined themselves medals for the victory in the Cold War, and the decades since that time have been the decades
of great lies. How can we ever hope that they finally conclude an honest treaty
with us and comply with it and give us guarantees? I do not know how we are to handle them. Do you really believe this is at all possible?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: I hate saying this, but I don’t
trust anyone.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: Well.</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: But we need guarantees. These
guarantees have to be put down on paper, and they should suit us and they
should make us trust them. That is what I mean.</p><p>It would probably be premature to publicly say that it could be possible.
But we certainly will not buy any empty promises. </p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: I am afraid your words might
be cited and interpreted broadly. When you say that you don’t trust anyone, do
you mean that you trust nobody at all or do you refer to the Western partners
in this particular case?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: I prefer to rely on the facts
rather than be guided by wishful thinking and assurances that everybody can be
trusted. You see, the responsibility for the consequences of any decision of this magnitude is immense. For this reason we will do nothing that would
prejudice the interests of our country. </p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: Mr President, what happened to Emmanuel Macron? Has he gone nuts? He is going to send French troops against
our army. He looks like a fighting Gallic rooster and has scared all Europeans.
How should one take it?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: In fact, the Western
countries' military personnel have been present in Ukraine for a long time.
They had been there before the coup d'état, and after the coup their number has
grown several times. Today they are involved both directly as military advisers
and as foreign mercenaries, and they suffer casualties. Yet I am certain that
even if foreign countries are to send their troops officially, it will not
change the situation on the ground – and this is the most important thing
because arms supplies change nothing.</p><p>Second, it can lead to serious geopolitical consequences. If, say, Polish
troops enter Ukrainian territory, allegedly for the protection of, say, the border between Belarus and Ukraine, or some other parts, to release Ukrainian
troops and enable them to fight along the contact line, I think, Polish troops
will stay there. That is what I believe. It is their heart's desire to get back
the lands they have historically regarded as theirs, the lands that
”Father of the Peoples“ Joseph Stalin took from them and gave to Ukraine. They certainly want to have these lands back. So if Polish troops
enter Ukraine, they will hardly ever leave it.</p><p>In such a case, this example might be followed by other countries that
lost parts of their territories after the Second World War. I think that
Ukraine would face geopolitical consequences – at least as regards
preserving its current statehood – in their full and unappealing
magnitude. </p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: Going back to Mr Macron, could
he be revenging himself on Russia for having taken him down a peg or two in Africa instead of playing nice and obedient? He did not expect Russia to be so
active, did he?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Yes, I believe that might be a matter of some hard feelings, but when we maintained direct contacts with him
we used to discuss this topic rather openly.</p><p>We have never thrust our way to Africa, neither have we squeezed France out
of there. The problem has a different source. There is a well-known Wagner
group, which initially pursued a number of economic projects in Syria and subsequently spread its activities to some other countries in Africa. It has
enjoyed the support of the Ministry of Defence, but only because it is a Russian group, no more. We have not squeezed anybody out of Africa. Rather, the leaders of some African countries had dealings with some Russian economic
players and wanted to work with them, rather than with the French ones, in some
areas. This was not our, but our African friends' initiative.</p><p>So it is not clear, what we are to blame for in this connection, if an independent state wants to develop its ties with partners from other countries,
including from Russia, wants to build its relations with Russia. We have not
touched these former French colonists in those African countries. Without a touch of irony, many countries, for which France historically was a mother
country, are very reluctant to deal with it. It is none of our fault. It might
be more convenient to France to pin the blame on somebody else than to acknowledge
its own faults. The French President's sharp and emotional reaction might be
explained, among other things, by the developments in some African states.</p><p>However, I know that there are other African countries, those that have
no objections against French presence and say that they are happy and ready to work with the French. Yet some countries are not. It is not our doing. We are
not brainwashing anybody and not inciting any anti-French sentiments there. </p><p>We set ourselves no such tasks. To be frank, Russia has no state or national goals to pursue there. We merely maintain friendly ties. If they
prefer to build their relations with Russia, they are most welcome, we
reciprocate such steps. There is nothing to be offended with.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: But now they are saying in France that there are no longer any ”red lines“ left with regard to Russia, nothing is impossible and everything is possible. In general, they want
to talk to us somehow on the basis of the balance of power. We hear a lot of things from France, from the West, and from Lithuania. In general, the chorus
is not slender, but hostile. </p><p>Maybe we, too, should go for unconventional solutions and at some point
seek help from the two-million-strong North Korean army? For example, in exchange for our ”nuclear umbrella“ over half of the Korean
peninsula? Why not then?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: First of all, the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea has its own ”nuclear umbrella.“ They
didn't ask us for anything. That's the first point.</p><p>Second. In principle, based on what we see on the battlefield, we are
coping with the tasks we set ourselves. </p><p>As for the states saying that they have no ”red lines“ with
Russia, they should realise that Russia will have no ”red lines“ with
them either. </p><p>As for small European states, first, we treat everyone with respect, no
matter what. Second, when these small states call for toughening the policy
towards Russia and taking some extreme measures, including, say, the deployment
of troops and so on, they are still those states, and they understand this,
which will not feel the consequences of their provocative statements. And those
who may feel it, keep a low profile. And rightly so.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: And all that German dancing
with the Taurus missiles? Mr Scholz says, ”we do not supply,“
but there are forces that insist on sending the Taurus missiles to Ukraine, the British propose their initiative: let's do it via England, we are ready to send. The target is the Crimean Bridge, the German generals are already
planning operations, as we have heard, not only targeting the Crimean Bridge,
but also military bases, as they say, deep inside the Russian territory. Some
are already saying these missiles could hit the Kremlin. Don't they go too far
in their dreams?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: First, they are dreaming and cheering themselves up. Second, they are trying to intimidate us. </p><p>As for Germany, there are constitutional problems there as well. They are
right when they say that if the Taurus missiles hit that part of the Crimean
Bridge, which is certainly, even according to their concepts, part of the Russian territory, this is a violation of the Constitution of the Federal
Republic of Germany. </p><p>The fact is that German opposition is behaving even more aggressively. We
will see what they will agree on. We are following this closely. British and American missiles are also used. But this does not change the situation on the battlefield. Yes, they're causing damage to us, of course, that's obvious. But,
in essence, it does not affect the course of hostilities and the consequences
that are inevitable for the other side. </p><p>We are now hearing that in Germany – both your channels and foreign channels,
German channels, show – how much they have, how much is in a bad state, how
much requires improvement, modernisation, and so on. Let them work. As you have
rightly said, there are things they should think about. Those who are smarter
think about it. </p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: And the new NATO members,
Finland and Sweden, in general, what did they trade for what? Swedish Foreign
Minister Tobias Billström suddenly told the Turks that Sweden was against NATO
bases on the Swedish territory. Didn't they realise what they had joined? What
happened to them?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: You have to ask them, I don't
know. We had quite good relations, stable relations with those countries, and I think that they benefited more from the fact that they adhered to neutrality,
because it gave certain advantages, at least as a negotiating platform to reduce tension in Europe.</p><p>We had a perfect relationship with Finland, just perfect. We didn't have
a single claim against each other, much less a territorial one, I am not
talking about other areas. We didn't even have any troops there; we had removed
everything from the Russian-Finnish border. Why did they do that? For purely
political reasons, I think. I guess they really wanted to be a member of a Western club, under some kind of ”umbrella.“ Why did they do that, I frankly don't understand. This is a totally senseless step in terms of safeguarding their own national interests. However, it's up to them to decide,
and they made that decision. </p><p>We didn't have any troops there, now we will. There were no weapon
systems, now there will be. Why? We had very good economic relations. They used
our market, we bought a lot from them. What's wrong with that? Now the situation will change. Many of their goods are not really needed in other
markets, and they're missing out on our goods. I don't understand it.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: Meanwhile, in the US, there's
an ongoing…</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: You know, it's an everyday
thing, but still. In recent years, both in Helsinki, and even more so in the border areas of Finland, payments could be made in Russian rubles. In large
supermarkets, including in Helsinki, you could buy any goods for rubles. All
advertisements are in Russian there.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: People
in border areas over there are simply going bankrupt.</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Well,
what I mean to say is that, on the other hand, the economic situation was fine:
house prices stood at a good level. Yes, this was fine in terms of the economy,
yet there were apparently highly conservative right-wing, nationalist political
actors who did not like these closer relations with Russia. Some even though it
was too much: Russians buying houses and flats, signs in Russian everywhere
around…</p><p>I mean I know for sure that this Russophobia started somewhere at the grassroots level.
Perhaps some political movements in the country decided to make use of this
bias – perhaps so. All those factors combined resulted in such a decision. That’s
what I think, but I cannot be 100 percent sure. Anyway, this won't help
enhance security, either bilaterally or in Europe as a whole.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: Meanwhile,
the United States finds itself amidst a fierce presidential race. And of course, they cannot do without you there. You are the invisible participant,
because every Republican or Democratic candidate mentions you in their speech,
giving reasons. It even seems that you never come off newspaper pages or TV
news headlines and are always an argument in everyone's election campaign. You
are even fuelling the fire.</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: How is that?</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: They say
that we favour one candidate over others. If a foreign president says that one
of the candidates in some other country is preferable, it is actually a textbook example of election-meddling. To which extent do you interfere in the American elections by claiming that we prefer to see Biden as president? And how true is that? What is that – some sort of trolling?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Listen,
first, I will tell you one thing that will prove that my preferences have not
changed.</p><p>Second.
We do not interfere in any elections in any way, and I have said more than once
that we will work with any leader trusted by the American people, the American
voter.</p><p>I find
it curious that in his last year as president, Mr Trump, current candidate for president, rebuked me for sympathising with Mr Biden. It was more than four
years ago. This is what he told me during one of our conversations, excuse me
for a direct quote: ”You want Sleepy Joe to win.“</p><p>He told
me that when he was still President. Later, to my surprise, he got persecuted
for Russia allegedly having supported him as candidate. That's total rubbish.</p><p>As for the current situation with the elections, it is getting increasingly uncivilised.
I wouldn't want to comment on that at all.</p><p>Besides,
it is quite certain, I think that it is obvious to everyone now that the American political system cannot claim to be democratic in every sense of the word.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: To be
honest, it sounds rather odd to me that you prefer Mr Biden. Back in 2011, Mr Biden
came to Moscow and tried to dissuade you from running for president.</p><p>Do you
remember that episode? He shared the story during his meeting with the Russian
opposition at Spaso House. According to Garry Kasparov, Mr Biden said that he
had visited Prime Minister Putin at the Russian White House in order to dissuade him from running for president, and that he had embarked on preparations for an ”Arab“ spring in our country. It seems that Biden
did not favour you already at that time. You are engaged in a sort of historical
duel. Or have you got over it?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Honestly,
I didn't pay much attention to that.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: You got
over it, then. You even didn't pay much attention.</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: A duel…</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: So, it
was serious for him but not for you.</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: This is
really a sign of interference…</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: Yes,
this is 100 percent blatant interference.</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: …Interference
in the political processes in our country. We have stated, and I have stated
many times: ”We will not let anyone do it.“</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: Well
then.</p><p>Leaving
aside the interference and the electoral battles, the escalation in fact
continues. It seems that both superpowers, Russia and the USA, are playing what
the Americans call the ”chicken game“ (when chickens ram each other);
it is a game in which two drivers head toward each other to see who swerves
away first. None seems inclined to be the first so far. Is the crash imminent
then?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Why? The United States
announced that they are not going to send troops. We know what American troops
in the Russian territory are. These are invaders. That is how we will treat
them even if they appear in the territory of Ukraine, and they understand it. I have said that Mr Biden is a representative of the traditional school and this
is proved. Yet, apart from Mr Biden, they have enough specialists in Russian-American relations and strategic deterrence.</p><p>Therefore, I do not think that it is getting closer to a head-on collision. But we are ready for it. I have said many times that it is a matter
of life and death for us, while for them it is a matter of improving their
tactical position in the world on the whole as well as maintaining their status
among their allies in Europe in particular. This is also important, but not as much as it is for us.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: It is interesting that you
said we are ready for it. Philosopher and geopolitical expert Alexander Dugin
directly urges to practically prepare for a nuclear war. ”The better we
are ready for it, the less likely such a war is,“ Mr Dugin states. How can
you ever be prepared for it? Are we really ready for a nuclear war?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: From a military-technical
point of view, we are certainly ready. They [the troops] are constantly on alert. This is the first thing. </p><p>Secondly. Our nuclear triad is more advanced than any other one, and this
is also a universally recognised fact. We and the Americans are the only ones
who have such a triad, actually. </p><p>Here, we have made a lot more progress. We have a more advanced nuclear
component. On the whole, as for carriers and warheads, we have a rough parity,
yet, the nuclear component we have is more sophisticated.</p><p>Everyone knows it, all experts do. However, it does not mean that we
should compete by the number of carriers or warheads, but we should know about
it. And I repeat that those who need it – experts, specialists, the military –
are well aware of it.</p><p>Now they are setting the task to increase this modernity, novelty, they
have relevant plans. We also know about them. They are developing all their
components, so do we. But, in my view, this does not mean that they are ready
to wage this nuclear war tomorrow. If they want to, what is there to do? We are
ready.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: Perhaps, to make it more
compelling, we should conduct nuclear tests at some stage? After all, we have
no international restrictions for that. </p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: There is a treaty which bans
such kind of tests, however, the United States has not ratified it,
unfortunately. That is why to maintain parity we have withdrawn this
ratification. Since the treaty was not ratified by the United States, it did
not enter into force eventually, as it did not get the required number of ratifications, but we are nevertheless sticking to these agreements.</p><p>We are aware that the possibility of conducting such tests is being
considered in the United States. This is due to the fact that, when new
warheads appear, as some specialists believe, it is not enough to test them on computer which means that they should be tested for real as well. Such ideas
are in the air in some US circles, they exist, and we are aware of them. </p><p>And we are also watching. If they conduct such tests, we will not
necessarily do it, we should think whether we need it or not, however, I do not
rule out that we can do the same.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: But are we ready for it in a technical way?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: We are always ready. I want to make it clear that these are not conventional weapons, this is the kind of troops which are always on alert.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: Mr President, last year,
when there were tough moments at the front in connection with Kharkov or Kherson, were you thinking of tactical nuclear weapons?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: What for? The decision to withdraw troops from Kherson was taken at the suggestion of the then command of the grouping. But it did not mean at all that our front was falling apart
there. Nothing like that ever happened. It was just done to avoid unnecessary
casualties among the personnel. That is all. This was the main motive, as under
the conditions of warfare when it was impossible to fully supply the grouping
located on the right bank, we would simply suffer unnecessary losses of personnel. Because of this, it was decided to redeploy them to the left bank.</p><p>The correctness of this decision was confirmed by what the Ukrainian
command tried to do in certain areas on the left bank, including in Krynki:
they were just throwing their personnel there as if it were a meat grinder.
They were running around literally barefoot in the end. They were trying to deliver
ammunition there using speedboats and drones. What is that? Just slaughter,
they sent them for slaughter.</p><p>I once asked the Chief of the General Staff, there is nothing secret
about it, ”In your opinion, who takes the decisions on that side? As the one who is taking the decision understands that he is sending people to certain
death?“ He answered, ”They understand.“ I said, ”But who is
taking the decision, why are they doing it? It makes no sense.“ –
”It makes no military sense.“ I said, ”What sense does it
make?“ – ”I do not know“, he answered, ”probably, top
political leadership, based on political considerations that they have some
chance to break through our defence, some chance to get additional money,
referring to the fact that they have some bridgehead on the left bank, some
chance to present their position at international meetings in a good way.“
The command was given, and all the subordinate heads automatically pass it on further.</p><p>By the way, the prisoners that were taken captive there, laid down arms, they show they didn't even know what
situation they were getting into. Let's say new forces are moved there and told, ”There is a solid defence there, go on, continue, and help.“
They couldn't even get to the left bank anymore. </p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: A tragedy.</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: A real tragedy. From a human viewpoint,
absolutely. </p><p>So, why do we need to use weapons of mass destruction? There has never been such a need. </p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: That is to say such idea did not even occur to you? </p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: No. What for? Weapons exist to be used. We have
our own principles; what do they say? That we are ready to use weapons,
including the ones you have just mentioned, when it is about the existence of the Russian state, about harming our sovereignty and independence. We
have everything spelled out in our Strategy. We have not changed it. </p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: Mr President, when the outgoing President
Yeltsin suggested
that you should run for President your first reaction was, ”I am not
ready.“ </p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Exactly, this is the direct speech. </p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: Since then you have, of course, gone through a great
evolution. If you are to write a telegram to yourself
to that time, what text would be in it? </p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: You know, this is like ”A [Connecticut] Yankee in King Arthur's Court“ or something like that. It is not possible to answer this question because the question was posed at that time, within the historical and economic context the country was in, in that internal political situation from the viewpoint of internal security. And all this together prompted me to the answer that
I gave, ”I am not ready for this.“ Not
because I was afraid of something but because the scale of the tasks was
enormous and the number of problems grew every day like a snowball. That is why I said sincerely and not because, I repeat, I was afraid of something but because I thought that I was not ready to solve all these problems, God forbid, I would do something even worse. That's what I meant. That
is why I was absolutely sincere and, if I went back, I would say the same thing again. </p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: And what was decisive then? You ran after
all. </p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Probably, conversations with Boris
Nikolayevich.</p><p>The key
thing was that in the end he said to me then, ”Well, ok, I understand,
we'll come back to this later.“ And we came back to this several times. </p><p>In the long run he said that I was a man of experience, knew what I was doing, what I was suggesting, and told me some other things. Perhaps, it is not appropriate
to talk myself up but he said such positive words. Later he repeated it again,
in a genuinely positive way; I am not going to talk about it now. </p><p>And when
the work started, everything was completely different there. You
know, when you work, you think: this, this and this is needed right now,
this – tomorrow – and so on and so forth. When you settle down to a task, it's a different ball game. </p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: No time to be afraid of anymore. </p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: It's not about being afraid of but about
being up to the task, being able to address them. You remember yourself what
the year 1999 was like in the economy, in the security sphere, in the finance – in everything. </p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: You once said that preparing to enter Leningrad University
was a turning point for you. This was the situation
when you had to risk it all, knowing that either you do it now and cope
and then be able to implement the plans that you had (and at that time you were
already planning to work for the KGB) or you lose, and then everything is
different and there is no chance. Is Russia now in the same situation when it has to risk it all? </p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: First, I was not in such situation then.
Yes, I wanted to work in the state security agencies. </p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: The admission itself, it was kind of momentous, this
feeling, wasn't it? It’s either this way or that?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Not exactly. I just came to the reception
desk and said, ”I would like to work here. What
do I need for this?“ </p><p>The alternative was simple, I was told: you need to either get a higher education, and preferably a law degree, or serve in the army, or have at least three years of work experience but better serve in the army. If I hadn't enrolled at the university,
I would have joined the army. </p><p>Well,
perhaps, this would have been a longer way to the goal I set myself but it was
there after all. There is always an alternative. </p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: But you entered with tension. </p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Yes, of course, because after all, I studied at a school
with a chemical and mathematical bias but here I had to take humanitarian
subjects. I had to leave one thing and do another. </p><p>Yes,
certainly, there was tension. I had to learn a foreign language on my own,
specifically German, I had to study history, literature and so on. </p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: Russia is currently also at the crossroads:
either everything works out or…</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Russia is not at the crossroads. It is on the strategic path of its
development and will not deviate from its path.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: To what extent do you feel the support of Russian society in its new quality? After all, a new quality of Russian society
has emerged. </p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: It was there, it just manifested itself. And it
is very good that we have given this profound Russian society an opportunity to express itself. I have the feeling that people have been waiting for this for a long time, that an average person would be in demand by the country and the state, and that the fate of the country would depend on him. It is this feeling
of inner connection with the Motherland, with the Fatherland, of one’s importance
in solving key tasks, in this case in the sphere of security, that has raised
to the surface the strength of the Russian and other peoples of Russia.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: Does that recharge you? </p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Always. It's not even a matter of someone being recharged,
it's a matter of seeing the demands of society. This is the most important
thing – to meet the demands of society. </p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: But it is time to recognise that you play a key
role not only in Russia, but also in the world, because billions of people
associate with you the hope for international justice, for the defence of human
dignity, for the protection of traditional values. How does it feel to feel
that level of responsibility? </p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: To tell you the truth, I don't feel it at all. I am simply working in the interests of Russia, in the interests of our people.
Yes, I understand what you are saying now, and I am ready to comment on it. But
I don't feel like I'm some sort of master of the world's destinies. Believe me,
nothing even close. I am just doing my duty to Russia and to our people, who
consider Russia their Motherland. </p><p>As for other countries of the world, the way we are treated around the world is very
closely related to this. That's what is interesting. It is a phenomenon, that's
for sure. </p><p>What I would like to draw attention to. You are absolutely right here, many people in the world are looking at us, at what is happening in our country and in our
struggle for our interests. </p><p>That's
what I think is important. Why is this happening? Not because we are formally
members of BRICS or because we have some kind of traditional relations with
Africa. This is also important, but the point, in my opinion, is quite
different. The point is that this so-called ”golden billion“ has been
practically parasitising on other peoples for centuries, 500 years. They
tore apart the unfortunate peoples of Africa, they exploited Latin America,
they exploited the countries of Asia, and of course no one has forgotten that.
I have the feeling that it is not even the leadership of these countries,
although it is very important, but the ordinary citizens of these countries
feel in their hearts what is happening. </p><p>They
associate our struggle for our independence and true sovereignty with their
aspirations for their own sovereignty and independent development. But this is
aggravated by the fact that there is a very strong desire in Western elites to freeze the current unjust state of affairs in international affairs. They've
spent centuries filling their bellies with human flesh and their pockets with
money. But they must realise that the vampire ball is ending.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: Are you alluding to their, as you put it in your Address, colonial manners? That's what you're saying.</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: That's the way it goes.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: But now you have painted a perfectly fair
picture of people seeing some hope in Russia. How is it that Western
propaganda, with all its power, its colossal resources and tools, has failed to banish Russia, isolate it and create a false image of it, although it strived
to do so in the heads of billions of people? How did that happen?</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Because what I just said is more important
to people. People all over the world feel it in their hearts. They don't even
need any pragmatic explanations for what is happening.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: You mean despite the wave of this dirt? </p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Yes. In their own countries they also
deceive people, and it has an effect. They – in many countries –
believe that this is in their interests because they don't want to have such a huge country like Russia on their borders. The largest in the world in terms of territory, the largest in Europe in terms of population – not such a large
population in the global dimension, not comparable to China or India, but the largest in Europe – and now also the fifth largest economy in the world. What
do they need such a competitor for? They think: no, it is better, as some
American specialists have suggested, to divide it into three, four, or five
parts – it will be better for everyone. They proceed from that. </p><p>And part
of, at least, Western elites, blinded by their Russophobia, were delighted when
they brought us to the line after which our attempts to stop the war unleashed
by the West in Ukraine in 2014 by force began, when we switched to conducting a special military operation. They even rejoiced, I think. Because they believed
that now they would finish us off, now, under this barrage of sanctions,
practically a sanctions war declared against us, with the help of Western
weapons and war through Ukrainian nationalists, they would finish off Russia.
Hence the slogan: ”To inflict a strategic defeat on Russia on the battlefield“.</p><p>But
later came the realisation that it was unlikely, and still later – that it was
impossible. And they came to understand that instead of a strategic defeat,
they are faced with powerlessness, a powerlessness despite the fact that they were
relying on the might of the all-powerful United States. They felt frustrated
seeing the unity of the Russian people, the fundamentals of the Russian
financial and economic system and its sustainability, and before the growing
capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.</p><p>It was then that they – those who are slightly smarter than
others – started to think that the policy towards the Russian Federation
has to be changed. It was then that the idea to resume the negotiation process,
to find ways to end this conflict, to search for where real interests of Russia
lie, appeared. These people are dangerous, by the way, because it is easier to handle people who are guided by such basic urges. </p><p>Do you remember what our ancestors used to say? What the day‑to‑day
happiness for many people was? To be full, drunk and with one’s nose in tobacco. Right? It is easier to deal with such people when they are full,
drunk, in other words, you have eaten and drunk enough. ”Nose in tobacco“ means they used snuff tobacco. Now it is more like ”nose in cocaine.“ It is all the same, though, such people are just easier to deal
with. As for smart people, it's different. Such people are more dangerous
because they influence people's minds, including in our society. They will be offering
their own wants and wishes as some sort of ”lures“ for us. </p><p>You already emphasised it when you asked about the possibility of negotiations. But still. This is the root of the disagreement within the Western society. This is clear, we can see this. </p><p>We are not going to cause divisions. They will manage to do it
brilliantly on their own. However, we are going, without any doubt, to make
sure our interests are met.</p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: I cannot but ask. These
attacks on the Belgorod and Kursk regions are military action going on in our
regions. They act bolder. Do they feel something? What’s causing this? </p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: The explanation is very
simple. This is happening against the backdrop of setbacks at the line of contact, at the front line. They achieved none of the goals they had set last
year. What is more, our Armed Forces have fully regained the initiative now.
Everybody knows this, everybody admits this. I think I will say nothing new in this regard. They have to demonstrate at least something given the setbacks.
Mainly, they want to focus the attention on how the situation is represented in the media. </p><p>The enemy attempted to attack our state borders with subversive groups,
first and foremost. The latest report of the General Staff says something up to 300 people, including foreign mercenaries. The enemy's losses amounted to more than 200 people, around 230. The enemy lost seven tanks out of eight
that they used, nine armoured vehicles out of nine, seven of them made in the United States, they are Bradleys. They used other armoured vehicles as well,
but mainly for the transportation of the personnel: they drove them to the site, dropped them and left immediately. That is what happens at the border
with Belgorod. A little southwards if I am not mistaken, in a particular place,
less people are involved. Nevertheless, the main goal – I have no doubts
about this – is if not to disrupt the elections in Russia, then at least
to hinder the normal course of citizens’ expressing their will. This is the first thing. </p><p>The second thing. It is the information effect, as I have said. </p><p>The third thing. It is their wish to obtain anything, a chance, an argument
or leverage in a potential future negotiation process: we will return you this,
you will return us that. </p><p>But I have said that it is easier to talk to people who are guided by the approach ”full, drunk and with their nose in you-know-what“ because
one can anticipate what these people are going to do next. They will also
attempt something similar in other areas as well but we see through them. </p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>:We mentioned the incident when you saved children from the fire.
You already have grandchildren. What kind of country would you like to leave to your grandchildren? </p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: You know, we have to achieve
everything that was stated in the Address to the Federal Assembly several days
ago as a first step. We have big plans. They are very specific in economic and social spheres, as well as in supporting mothers, children, families with
children, the elderly. We rarely talk about it these days, or do not talk at all, yet we always allocate appropriate resources for this as well. It includes
indexation of pensions, various benefits, long‑term care for people who need
it. </p><p>I would like to say that it’s thanks to the elderly people that today we
have a strong and stable statehood and economy, among other things. That is
why, despite all the upheavals and direst trials our economy went through in the 1990s, it pulled through thanks to their
heroic labour after the Great Patriotic War and during the economic revival.
That is why we must never forget about this, about the achievements of the previous generations. We must always remember it while ensuring appropriate
well-being for them. The future is in our children, that is why I have
mentioned programmes to support mothers and children. </p><p>All this can be achieved only on the basis of the economy. I expect it to become more technologically advanced, modern, and be based on the achievements
of science and technology, information technology, artificial intelligence,
robotics, genetics and do on. Our agriculture is developing at fantastic rates.
It also needs up-to-date technologies. They are actively used and will continue
to be used moving forward. </p><p>Of course, the country will be self-sufficient in ensuring its security
and defence. Together, we will have to multiply all of that to secure our
future. </p><p><b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: Thank you, Mr President. Your confidence inspires. I wish you
success in your noble pursuits. </p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: Thank you. </p><p> <b>Dmitry Kiselev</b>: Thank you.</p> Meeting with winners of Leaders of Russia competitionhttp://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/736462024-03-14T13:54:56+04:002024-03-12T19:25:00+04:00<div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin held a meeting with the winners of the Leaders of Russia national management competition.</p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/ZohLoR3dQ1Z02M6TxwprY0byB3WwBURy.JPG" alt="At the meeting with winners of Leaders of Russia competition." /> <div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin held a meeting with the winners of the Leaders of Russia national management competition.</p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/ZohLoR3dQ1Z02M6TxwprY0byB3WwBURy.JPG" alt="At the meeting with winners of Leaders of Russia competition." /> <p>The Leaders of Russia national management
competition is a project of the Russia – Land of Opportunity platform launched
in 2017 on the Presidential instruction to identify promising new-generation leaders
and to support their career advancement. The ceremony for presenting awards to the winners of the 5<sup>th</sup> season – 102 managers from 31 Russian regions and two foreign countries, Belgium and Serbia, – took place in Moscow on February 25.</p><p>* * *</p><p><b>President of Russia Vladimir Putin</b>: Good afternoon and welcome everyone.</p><p>This meeting with graduates of the Leaders of Russia format and platform is a regular event that is held with a simple goal in mind which is, first, to congratulate you on your achievements
and, second, to hear what you have to say about the event and what you have learned
during your contacts with each other and during conversations and classes that
were held in various formats. This is the fifth class of graduates, and over a million people have been trained under this system over the years. Probably, this
is the largest human resources forum internationally, not just in Russia, which
is impressive.</p><p>It is crucial that the people with
whom you met and talked and who formulated the tasks and assessed the results,
have achieved much themselves and were in a position to assess your
accomplishments objectively.</p><p>The third point that I would like to highlight is that this year you were able to work in the regions. I am aware
there are people in this audience who work in the regions as part of their regular
job, but nevertheless, it was important for everyone else to try their hand at addressing
problems at the regional level. This is a critical element of training and competitive selection, as well as determining one's own abilities.</p><p>I would like to thank our colleagues
in the regions, the regional leaders, for providing this opportunity.</p><p>I am also pleased to note that the number of applications, which was very large, includes more and more people who
live permanently outside of Russia, but show interest in our country and want
to work in Russia. They are eligible for expedited and simplified procedure for gaining Russian citizenship, and 29 people have already made that decision. These
people were originally from 12 countries, such as the United States, France,
Greece, and Bulgaria, as well as the CIS countries. A total of 29 people from
12 countries.</p><p>It is also important that we are involving our colleagues
from the new territories, the new regions under the Leaders of Revival programme.
I know that they are here as well. You will tell us how it all went.</p><p>You also know that we have opened a new page – this
is the Time of Heroes [personnel programme]. They are in this audience as well – those who have taken part in serving the Motherland in the special military
operation zone. We have been receiving applications since March and 30,000 applications
have already been submitted.</p><p>Obviously, the selection must and will be strict
enough. This will not be a one-time event but a regular process. So those who do
not make it in the first attempt have every chance to send another application
and get onto this platform. And for those who do not have a university degree, we
will create the conditions for receiving it, if that’s what they want, if they
have such ambitions.</p><p>Obtaining a specific position is not an end in itself
in these events. However, at least 470 people are already working in high positions
and in the federal centre. I believe we have six deputy federal ministers, five
deputy governors and governors in the regions, 10 people head municipalities (I see some of them here) while others work in the State Duma, the Federation
Council, and our big companies with state participation – in general, in the most
diverse areas and at a sufficiently high level.</p><p>It is very important that during this training,
a certain community of people is taking shape. I am referring to those who undertake training and go through this competitive selection. What also matters, and I heard this from graduates in the previous years, is their ability to maintain
these relations and exchange useful information that can be used at a specific
job. I will repeat that this information comes from sources you trust and from
the people that are very competent in their own areas.</p><p>This is probably all I wanted to say in the beginning.
I would like to listen to you more, and I repeat, to hear your assessments and your proposals on improving this personnel selection system.</p><p>I have already said this many times, but I would
like to repeat it again. The main advantage of this work, the main advantage of this system of training and selection is that it does not work through pull or by using one’s connections. What matters is one’s own personal and professional skills.</p><p><…></p><p><b>Vladimir Putin</b>: It is very good that our common efforts do not
go in vain. When I meet with young people like you – young, energetic, results-oriented
and interested in the impact of their work, and not just abstract results,
which are also good in some spheres… An unexpected abstract result is good as well and should be set aside for possible future use. But this form of training
involves people who are interested in the final result for the country. This is
extremely important for those who are working on a practical project.</p><p>This is what I would like to say. It may sound trite, but I will say it
anyway. When I meet with people like you, I have the feeling that Russia is in safe hands. Thank you very much for everything you have done so far, which is a lot, despite the young age of each and all of you together. I strongly hope and wish that you will have further significant personal achievements and that you
will make your personal contributions to the country’s development. I am
confident that it will be substantial.</p><p> Thank you very much, and good luck.</p> Greetings to current staff and veterans of Russia’s penitentiary systemhttp://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/736442024-03-12T15:20:16+04:002024-03-12T11:00:00+04:00<div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin sent
greetings to the current staff and veterans of the Russian Federation penitentiary
system on its 145<sup>th</sup> anniversary and the Day of the Penitentiary System
Worker.</p></div> <div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin sent
greetings to the current staff and veterans of the Russian Federation penitentiary
system on its 145<sup>th</sup> anniversary and the Day of the Penitentiary System
Worker.</p></div> <p>The message reads, in part:</p><p>“The importance of the tasks facing the Federal
Penitentiary Service requires from its employees high professional and personal
qualities, integrity, and strict discipline. After all, strengthening law and order in the country and protecting every individual largely depend on you and your conscientious work.</p><p>I would like to highlight that in recent years the penitentiary system has undergone significant changes aimed at ensuring prisoners’ rights, upgrading facilities and resources, and enhancing social
and living conditions in correctional institutions. The development of non-custodial penalties is being consistently pursued.</p><p>Furthermore, I extend special words of gratitude to the veterans of the Service.”</p> Meeting with head of Roscosmos Yury Borisovhttp://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/736292024-03-11T18:00:55+04:002024-03-11T13:30:00+04:00<div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin had a working meeting with General Director of the Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities Yury Borisov. </p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/daEAdtecrQqiNdWEPe9AwZjLkhYYAUog.jpg" alt="With Roscosmos General Director Yury Borisov." /> <div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin had a working meeting with General Director of the Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities Yury Borisov. </p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/daEAdtecrQqiNdWEPe9AwZjLkhYYAUog.jpg" alt="With Roscosmos General Director Yury Borisov." /> <p><b>President of Russia Vladimir Putin:</b> Mr Borisov, I know that preparations are
underway for a new ISS mission. How is this work proceeding? Let us begin with
this issue.</p><p><b>Head of Roscosmos Yury Borisov:</b> Mr President, this work is now in its final
stage, and we are currently completing comprehensive crew training tests.</p><p>The three-person crew includes cosmonaut
Marina Vasilevskaya from our fraternal Republic of Belarus. She was selected in December 2022 from among six contenders, and she started training in August
2023. She has already completed her training, passed all the exams, and she is
ready to lift off. Oleg Novitsky, the crew’s commander, is not a rookie
cosmonaut. NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, due to replace Loral O’Hara (who has
spent six months aboard the ISS) is the third crewmember. </p><p>We are expecting the Soyuz-25
spacecraft to deliver them to the ISS on March 21, and we will be waiting for them to come back on April 2.</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin:</b> I see.</p><p>I know that there are other issues
as well. Please continue.</p><p><b>Yury Borisov:</b>
Yes, Mr President, but, first of all, I would like to thank you on behalf of the sector’s large staff for your care in addressing our immediate challenges.
Of course, your deep immersion in the essence of these issues and nuances
deserves deep
appreciation; in turn,
we assume specific obligations. We appreciate this very much.</p><p>I would like to draw your attention to the following points.</p><p>We are completing the Angara-5M
launch complex at the Vostochny Cosmodrome. We hope that the first launch will
take place in the first ten days of April. This is a highly important event for the country; we will strengthen the ground-based space infrastructure. As you
know, we already operate one launch site in Plesetsk, and this will become a standby launch site. That’s why it is very important to us.</p><p>We continue a series of accident-free launches. Quite recently, we added a Meteor-M 2–4 satellite to the weather satellite cluster. By the way, we launched 18 small satellites
together with it, including one contributed by our colleagues from Iran. </p><p>We are getting ready to receive our
colleagues from BRICS countries. Russia chairs BRICS throughout 2024. We will
also meet with our colleagues from national space agencies. We worked closely
with them last year, and we have tremendous prospects. I will inform you about
our proposals on this issue.</p><p>We are working intensively to popularise space exploration among the population, especially young people. We
really care who will replace us in 10–15 years, and who will continue our work.
For example, we are now actively working on projects to popularise space
careers together with the Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria
Lvova-Belova.</p><p>These are the main aspects that I wanted to report to you.</p><p>Mr President, this year marks the 90<sup>th</sup>
birthday anniversary of Yury Gagarin, our wonderful cosmonaut who wrote his
name in golden letters in the history of the global space programme. I would
like to present you with a portrait of him. This portrait is a symbol of the Cosmos
Pavilion that you opened after its reconstruction in 2018. I hope that you will
be filled with optimism, while looking at it, and that you will feel confident
that we will accomplish all our objectives.</p><p><b>Vladimir Putin:</b> Thank you very much. </p><p> <…></p> Greetings to the staff and veterans of Sovfracht JSChttp://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/736472024-03-12T19:33:16+04:002024-03-08T11:00:00+04:00 <p>Vladimir Putin sent greetings to the staff and veterans of Sovfracht joint-stock company on its 95<sup>th</sup> anniversary.</p><p>The message reads, in part:</p><p>“The past years have been a time for your company's
development, for strengthening its technological, infrastructural and personnel
potential, and increasing its transport capabilities. Today, Sovfracht has unique
experience in sea and river shipping, providing
its customers with a wide range of logistics and insurance services and managing
large warehouse and manufacturing complexes.</p><p>The company employs highly skilled specialists
who know and love their business. You honourably continue the remarkable traditions
of your predecessors and see success in achieving your goals. I would like to emphasise the significant contribution of many generations of Sovfracht
employees to the economic development of the Arctic and their active
participation in the implementation of other large-scale, strategically
important projects.</p><p>And of course, it is gratifying that you pay
great attention to popular charitable initiatives, supporting industry veterans
and children's educational institutions.”</p> Video address on International Women’s Dayhttp://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/736242024-03-07T20:10:58+04:002024-03-08T00:00:00+04:00<div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin extended
greetings to Russian women on International Women’s Day.</p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/hZjeZEQWsWd8TeJrR8U66WkYA6KZXfYa.jpg" alt="Vladimir Putin extended greetings to Russian women on International Women’s Day." /> <div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin extended
greetings to Russian women on International Women’s Day.</p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/hZjeZEQWsWd8TeJrR8U66WkYA6KZXfYa.jpg" alt="Vladimir Putin extended greetings to Russian women on International Women’s Day." /> <p><b>President of Russia Vladimir Putin</b>: Dear women,</p><p>From the bottom of my heart, I wish you all the best on International Women’s Day.</p><p>We always look forward to this wonderful spring
day with pleasure and excitement, preparing for it well in advance. Today, in every home and every family, Russians are expressing their most tender and loving wishes for their mothers, wives, daughters, grandmothers and girlfriends. </p><p>Dear women, you certainly have the power to improve this world with your beauty, wisdom and generosity, but above all,
thanks to the greatest gift that nature has endowed you with – the bearing of children. Motherhood is a glorious mission for women. A difficult and critically important mission, but also a source of so much joy and happiness. </p><p>Family remains the most important thing for any
woman, no matter what career path she chooses or what professional heights she
attains. Her family, relatives, friends, her tireless concern for her children,
their health and education, teaching them what is right and making sure they
grow up to be decent and successful people is what matters most.</p><p>This year is dedicated to the family in Russia.
The meaning, the essence of the family is primarily about the continuation of life, the continuation of the lineage, of the story of each family and our
entire country. The family is the bond that has ensured continuity from
generation to generation, and consideration and respect for women and motherhood are an integral part of our traditions. </p><p>The family, its interests and needs are in the spotlight and an absolute priority in Russia today. We will certainly do
everything we can to ensure that families with children, including large and young families, young mothers, feel supported and assisted by the state. </p><p>I would like to specifically address the women
who are serving in the special military operation now, carrying out combat
missions, as well as to others who are now separated from their family members,
waiting for our heroes to come home, inspiring them with their love, cheer and support, worrying about every soldier, helping them on the front line, in hospitals, and in numerous volunteer organisations. Again and again, you prove
that a woman’s heart is truly an irresistible force, providing an example of perseverance and confidence that good and truth are on our side. </p><p>Dear women! </p><p>You take on extremely difficult challenges,
achieving success and impressive results in a variety of fields. We, men, often
feel amazed at your ability to get things done quickly and efficiently, yet
thoroughly, seeing to every detail. You handle an endless succession of problems and burdens without losing your charm and allure. It is impossible not
to admire you. </p><p>I would like to wish you genuine mutual
understanding with those you hold dear, as many truly happy moments in your
lives as possible, and success in everything that is important to you.</p><p> All the best to you. Happy International Women’s
Day!</p> Meeting with Krasnodar Territory Governor Veniamin Kondratyevhttp://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/736212024-03-12T09:25:21+04:002024-03-07T15:35:00+04:00<div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin held a working meeting with Krasnodar Territory Governor Veniamin Kondratyev.</p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/LSGKoTfPkG6zHNTvr2G1g3WR8NhjS1AF.jpg" alt="Meeting with Krasnodar Territory Governor Veniamin Kondratyev." /> <div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin held a working meeting with Krasnodar Territory Governor Veniamin Kondratyev.</p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/LSGKoTfPkG6zHNTvr2G1g3WR8NhjS1AF.jpg" alt="Meeting with Krasnodar Territory Governor Veniamin Kondratyev." /> <p>Starting the meeting, the President noted
that the Krasnodar Territory was developing well, almost all its key performance
indicators were good, and unemployment, which is at its lowest in the country, was
below the national average in the region. Investment numbers are very good.
Population growth is a core indicator, which, of course, raises social issues, such
as increasing the number of ambulance crews and the capacity of kindergartens
and schools.</p><p>Mr Kondratyev reported that the economy was steady and had adapted to the challenges and difficulties. The gross regional product amounted to four trillion rubles in late 2023 compared
to two trillion rubles in 2018. Regional producers and businesses gained access
to the domestic market. The ability to increase capacity and sell output on the domestic market is an important factor of growth.</p><p>The Governor also said that seven
industrial parks had been built in the Krasnodar Territory, and seven more were
under construction. Infrastructure loans, which the region receives from the federal budget as directed by the President, are crucial, especially for resorts.
These loans will be used to build 17 treatment facilities on the Black Sea
coast. The construction will begin this year.</p><p>Regarding the agro-industrial
complex, last year's harvest was quite good, even though not a record breaker
at 14.4 million tonnes, of which wheat accounted for 9.6 million tonnes. Enterprises
had sown 1.8 million hectares with winter crops and started sowing spring crops
on 1.8 million hectares as well. A decent harvest is expected this year.
Agrarians have been provided with fuel, fertiliser, and seeds in full. As of the end of last year, the agrarians have purchased various types of agricultural
machinery worth 23 billion rubles. The law on viticulture and winemaking has
launched a new industry which was non-existent in the region literally until
2019, when winemaking was a garage business. Since the time the law was passed
in 2019, 1.5 billion bottles of champagne and wine have been produced. Last
year alone, 305 million bottles were produced. Drinking wine and champagne from
local wine material derived from local grapes grown in the Krasnodar Territory
is now a sign of sophistication.</p><p>Veniamin Kondratyev recalled that the Industrial
Development Fund established with the President’s support already has 7.1 billion
rubles. These funds are spent on upgrading enterprises and import substitution production
lines. The interest rate is kept low, under four percent. Last year, industrial
product sales reached 1.8 trillion rubles. Owing to the fund, the amount of industrial output grew by almost 45 percent in five years.</p><p>Vladimir Putin also noted that investment in the health resort industry has increased a lot – from 18.6 billion to 488
billion. Veniamin Kondratyev said that due to the enactments of a corresponding
territorial law, investment in new hotels has grown by 20 times since 2020. Currently,
48 hotels worth a total of almost 500 billion rubles are under construction in the Krasnodar Territory. About 30,000 new rooms will be ready for use by the end of next year. The Krasnodar Territory is the health resort and spa centre of the whole country. Last year, 18.6 million people spent their vacations there. This
is a record, but not the limit. There will be demand for the hotels that are now
under construction. The President emphasised the need to maintain continuous
control over the quality of service. </p><p>Schools and kindergartens were discussed as well. According to Mr Kondratyev, 90 schools, 194 kindergartens and 214 sports
facilities have been built since 2016 when he became governor. Of this number, 42
schools, 61 kindergartens, 49 sports facilities and 70 general practitioner
offices and rural paramedic centres have been built under national projects in the past five years. A total of 1,300 parks and squares were also improved under a national project.</p><p> Vladimir Putin noted the need to focus on the facilities
in poor shape. Their problems should be resolved as soon as possible. They should
undergo major repairs or be replaced with new facilities. Mr Kondratyev explained
that about 30 clinics are under major repairs while 43 hospitals have already been
rebuilt. The Governor emphasised that on the whole, the Krasnodar Territory received
260 billion rubles under this national project. This amount of social construction
is unprecedented for the region.</p> Touring the Sambo Centrehttp://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/736202024-03-08T14:09:18+04:002024-03-07T14:10:00+04:00<div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin toured
the Sambo Centre, which is part of the Sports City cluster in Krasnodar. </p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/oLAUCEreFSdL6ognLtHkNN4Ya91ZPn7V.jpg" alt="Following the inspection, Vladimir Putin briefly talked with sambo wrestlers representing sports schools in the Krasnodar Territory." /> <div class="c-summary" style="font-size: 1.2em"><p>Vladimir Putin toured
the Sambo Centre, which is part of the Sports City cluster in Krasnodar. </p></div> <img src="http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/small/oLAUCEreFSdL6ognLtHkNN4Ya91ZPn7V.jpg" alt="Following the inspection, Vladimir Putin briefly talked with sambo wrestlers representing sports schools in the Krasnodar Territory." /> <p>The President took a look at information stands about the prospects for developing the Sports City project, and also toured the recently built Sambo
Centre, which will open its doors soon. The President was shown the locker
rooms, training complex and sports arena. </p><p>Following the inspection, Vladimir Putin briefly talked with sambo
wrestlers representing sports schools in the Krasnodar Territory.</p><p>The Sambo Centre has a four-mat sports arena, warm-up hall and gym, as well as a grandstand for 3,000 spectators. It was put into operation at the end
of February. In May, it will host its first major tournament, the finals of the Summer Spartakiad of Russian Students.</p><p> The Sports City sports cluster in Krasnodar has a total area of 110 hectares. In addition to the Sambo Centre, it includes the Ice Centre, Basket Hall, Water Sports Centre and Champion training halls. The Gymnastics Centre is at the design stage. Also, a project for a sports boarding
school for 500 students has been drafted; its construction is scheduled to begin in 2024.</p>