Before the ceremony, the President toured the institute’s museum. The explanations were provided by First Deputy Director General and General Designer Yury Solomonov.
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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Comrades, veterans.
I warmly congratulate you on a major milestone event, the 80th anniversary of the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology.
We just toured the museum displays and exhibits, and Mr Solomonov provided a detailed overview of the history of the institute, your institute, and of the stages of its development.
Indeed, in May 1946, one year after the Great Victory and one year after the conclusion of the most severe trials of the Great Patriotic War, the institute was established and became a symbol of the country’s recovery after what seemed to be irreparable losses. It became a symbol of a new breakthrough in strengthening the nation’s research, industrial and defence potential. Advanced and truly revolutionary for that time missile technology was conceived and mastered here; technology that, without exaggeration, transformed the entire history of the 20th century, while forging the Motherland’s impenetrable nuclear shield. Together with specialists from other defence organisations and enterprises, continuous and intense work was carried out, the results of which determined the future of our country.
On this day, special words of gratitude go to veterans. We bow our heads to everyone who worked at the institute in the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and later. Thank you very much.
As I mentioned earlier, we have just toured the museum exhibits which recount the main stages of the creation of unique weapons systems and vividly demonstrate how difficult the first steps of establishing what was effectively a new industry were, and how many unconventional engineering and design challenges had to be addressed within tight timeframes amid intense geopolitical confrontation and technological race.
Without exaggeration, thanks to the heroic and dedicated work of several generations of the institute’s employees, a sovereign school of missile systems engineering has emerged in Russia. This school has made an invaluable contribution to strengthening Russia’s defences and has laid a powerful technological and industrial foundation for decades to come. We continue to rely on the achievements made during those decades, and some of the systems remain in service to this day, as Mr Solomonov noted. I wasn’t aware of this myself, but according to him, requests come in every year: “Let us keep them, keep them.” Remarkable, but true.
Today, your institute is a leading domestic developer of solid-fuel land-based and sea-based nuclear missile systems. It was the institute’s specialists, together with other defence industry enterprises, who created and fielded strategic missile systems known the world over. The Topol-M, the Yars, and the Bulava-30 – they now form the backbone of Russia’s nuclear triad.
I should also note that the mobile ballistic missile systems you developed are on active duty and have been used effectively in combat during the special military operation.
We will certainly continue to modernise and develop our strategic nuclear forces, creating missile systems with greater combat power, capable of defeating all current and future missile defence systems.
I also want to highlight that you are actively engaged in addressing these vital challenges and are working on several promising research and development projects.
Your work on a number of projects to produce high-demand civilian products, particularly for the oil and gas industry, the transport sector, and so on, also deserves serious recognition.
Today, you have built a modern research and production base, a well-coordinated team, support programmes for young talented specialists, and a developing mentoring system.
I would like to thank General Designer Yury Solomonov and the entire institute staff for your many years of effective work and for the hugely important and impressive achievements you have made for our country. Mr Solomonov, thank you.
(Applause.)
Many challenges lie ahead. I am counting on you, my friends, on your experience, professionalism, and devotion to your country. I wish you continued success for the benefit of Russia.
Once again, my warmest greetings to all employees and veterans on this anniversary. I am pleased to have this opportunity to personally present the Order for Valiant Labor to the team of the Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering.
Thank you very much.
(Award ceremony.)
General Designer Yury Solomonov: Mr President,
First of all, I would like to thank you most sincerely for taking the time, during this challenging period for our country, to visit an organisation that has indeed – and this is an objective assessment – accomplished a great deal to ensure our state’s strategic security.
The role of the parent organisation can hardly be overstated, of course, but I would consider no less important its contribution to the creation and consolidation of that network of enterprises which, collectively, manufacture not merely individual components or separate assemblies, but complete missile systems.
The corps of directors and the heads of these enterprises are here, and I believe that their contribution to our common cause, led, naturally, by the parent organisation, cannot be overstated.
What else would I like to say? Eighty years are now part of history. Yet, in accordance with the well-known aphorism, history comprises the steps of the past that lead us into the future.
The President has outlined the new tasks that the state has set before us. This, without any doubt, represents a mark of trust, and trust, as is well known, entails responsibility.
I wish to express not merely confidence, but absolute conviction that, as before, we will fulfil everything entrusted to us to the requisite standard and, furthermore, in strict accordance with the assignments that the Ministry of Defence sets before us.
Naturally, this path is not strewn with roses; it involves constant interaction – occasionally contentious– with the Ministry of Defence. Yet, on the other hand, truth emerges from debate. I believe that in situations where we cannot reach agreement – and such situations do arise – the assistance of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief is invaluable. I say this not for rhetorical effect, but on the basis of practical experience: indeed, the President’s personal involvement in resolving a number of fundamental issues has proven decisive, and I have conveyed this to him quite frankly.
Mr President, I wish to reiterate my profound gratitude for your visit to the institute.
Vladimir Putin: Friends, colleagues, comrades, I address you in this way because the Army has retained this form of address – comrade. Specialists of your calibre differ little from the personnel in uniform who serve the Motherland.
Mr Solomonov noted that our path – and in this regard I do not distance myself from you, from professionals such as yourselves, or from teams such as yours – is not strewn with roses. Why? Roses have thorns, that is true, and one must know how to navigate past them, appreciate the blossoms, and press forward to achieve the common result that we require in the name of Russia.
Thank you. I wish you a happy anniversary and offer my congratulations!