Events in Russia

[Persej]

A serious approach to security, so that no jerks writing stupid orders will try to implement them.

That is nice, but it would've been even better if he was escorted by Su-57.

 

[youlik]

That is nice, but it would've been even better if he was escorted by Su-57.

If only for show-offs (these sheikhs-emirs or whatever they are called, apparently, show-offs are very respected), but for a real opponent these planes are more than enough.
I recently read an article in the National Interest, so there is a woman author, apparently a major military specialist, who wrote that when the Ukrainians get the F-16, Russia will immediately release the Su-57 against them. The question is why? If our classmate of this aircraft is the MiG-29, which is made to cope with it, and even more so everything that is larger, more powerful, newer: MiG-35, Su-27, Su-30, Su-35. Such as the Su-57 and MiG-31 need to compete with the F-15, F-22 and, at the very least, the F-35.

Spoiler: Russian spelling

Если только для понтов (эти шейхи-эмиры или как их там называют, судя по всему, понты очень даже уважают), а для реального соперника этих самолетов хватит с лихвой.
Недавно прочитал статью в National Interest, так там женщина-автор, видимо крупная военная специалистка, написала, что когда у украинцев появится F-16, Россия тут же выпустит против них Су-57. Вопрос-зачем? Если наш одноклассник этого самолета это МиГ-29, который сделан чтобы справляться с ним, а тем более все то, что крупнее, мощнее, новее. МиГ-35, Су-27, Су-30, Су-35. Таким как Су-57 и МиГ-31 надо в соперники F-15, F-22 и на худой конец F-35.

 

[Persej]

If only for show-offs (these sheikhs-emirs or whatever they are called, apparently, show-offs are very respected), but for a real opponent these planes are more than enough.
I recently read an article in the National Interest, so there is a woman author, apparently a major military specialist, who wrote that when the Ukrainians get the F-16, Russia will immediately release the Su-57 against them. The question is why? If our classmate of this aircraft is the MiG-29, which is made to cope with it, and even more so everything that is larger, more powerful, newer: MiG-35, Su-27, Su-30, Su-35. Such as the Su-57 and MiG-31 need to compete with the F-15, F-22 and, at the very least, the F-35.

Yes, I also think that Russia should keep the Su-57 for potential future battles against F-35 and the likes. But for show-offs, as was this event, the Su-57 is very appropriate.

Maybe he will reserve it for visiting NATO countries (if that happens ever again).

 

[Ca.]

I will run again for president in 2024, says Putin

https://twitter.com/x/status/1732899655409619011

https://twitter.com/x/status/1733027489025277961

https://twitter.com/x/status/1733203670840279426

https://twitter.com/x/status/1732785333849272640

Snip:

We have proven that we are capableof facing the most difficult challenges. The Russian economy is effectivelycoping with external attempts to restrain the development of the country. The key was the fundamental, as it turned out, margin of safety that we have beenbuilding over the past 20 years, and especially since 2014 after the firstlarge package of sanctions against Russia was introduced. Back then,we focused on developing the consumer sector, strengthening the financialsector and creating our own payment infrastructure.

Let me remind you that one of the West’s first decisions last year was to disconnect Russian banks from the Visaand Mastercard systems. The bet was that this would make it impossible to payfor goods and services, collapse payments, and therefore paralyse the country’sbanking sector. As some Western colleagues put it, they wanted to make ourcitizens “suffer.” These were the humanistic plans for Russian citizens. Theywanted to create problems for millions of Russian families.

But, how did this turn out in reality?Individuals and businesses never even noticed the seamless transition to the national payment system, which is now successfully operating and expanding. Accordingly,we have stopped paying commissions to Western companies, so they have lostprofits on what they could have earned in Russia.

We certainly still have a lot to work on here. Perhaps Ms Nabiullina, who heads the Central Bank, will talk moreabout this. We certainly do. In any case, our ill-wishers have definitelyfailed to reach their goals; on the contrary, we have strengthened oursovereignty in this area, and we are quite confident at that. This is just oneexample.

In finance, industry and the consumer market, we are gradually discontinuing the use of any imposedservices, brands or intermediaries. In fact, we are expanding our own market, and seeing system-wide positive results from our dedicated efforts. For example, in the first ten months of this year, Russia’s GDP grew by 3.2 percent. It isalready higher right now than it was before the Western sanctions attack.

By the end of the year, GDP growth isexpected to reach 3.5 percent – at least, we are all counting on that. You willagree with me – everyone here is well-versed in this field – that this is a good indicator for the Russian economy.

Russia is Europe’s largest economyand is now ahead of all the leading EU countries in terms of growth rates. Moreover,the so-called essential non-commodity industries are accounting for an increasing share in the structure of Russia’s economic growth. These include manufacturing,transport, logistics, construction, information, communications, and housingand utilities.

For example, in the second quarterof this year, they accounted for more than half (54 percent, to be moreprecise) of economic growth. Another 44 percent had to with what is known as the support industries – trade, catering, other services. And only 2 percent, I would like to emphasise this, only 2 percent came from mineral extraction. Nowlet’s hear someone refer to Russia as a fuel station, like they did in the not toodistant past.

I admit that there are industries thathave not yet fully recovered, not fully adapted to the new conditions. One of them is wood processing. There are reasons for this. It was largely dependenton European markets. Nevertheless, the situation is changing for the better. The automobile industry has had a rough time because our companies had a high dependenceon imported components. This industry was among the hardest hit. But it isgradually emerging from the crisis as well.

I would like to specifically notethat, despite the objective difficulties, Russian businesses have shown highresponsibility. And I would like to take this opportunity to thank our colleaguesfor this. Not only have companies retained their workforce and established newlogistics chains, but they are also launching projects in the domestic consumermarket, in the high-tech sector, in tourism, and in other industries. They arequickly taking the niches that were vacated after a number of Western companiesleft our market. Did they think everything would collapse here? Well, nothingof the kind happened. Russian companies took over and moved on. And our businessleaders are proceeding very confidently.

 

[youlik]

I will run again for president in 2024, says Putin

The following can be added to the above. (I don't read twitter and maybe it was in the links)

VTSIOM poll: 78.5% of Russians trust Putin, 75.8% approve of his activities

78.5% of Russians trust Russian President Vladimir Putin. This follows from a survey by the All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion (VTSIOM), the results of which were published on the website on Friday, December 8.

"78.5% of respondents answered positively to a direct question about trust in Vladimir Putin (+0.0 percentage points per week) <...>," the sociologists clarified.

At the same time, 75.8% of Russians approved of the president's work, an increase of 0.6 percentage points per week.

61.9% of respondents trust Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin (+0.8 percentage points per week). The approval levels for his work and the government's work over the past week were 53.3% (+1.0 percentage points per week) and 51.4% (+1.7 percentage points per week), respectively.

The survey was conducted from November 27 to December 3.

https://iz.ru/1617433/2023-12-08/opros-vtciom-pokazal-chto-putinu-doveriaiut-bolee-78-rossiian?
utm_source=yxnews&utm_medium=desktop

Spoiler: Russian spelling

К выше опубликованному можно добавить следующее. (Я не читаю твиттер и возможно это было в ссылках)

 

[Cosmos]

So, it is pretty much official now. If we are lucky we will see Putin in action for 6 more years! Starting in spring next year. I think the PTB will not like that at all. My bet is that this will be his last term though. I don’t think he would run again in 7 years, due to age. If that’s the case, I think it is likely that he will try to accomplish as much as he possibly can in those last 6 years. Which might mean that what we have seen so far is just the beginning and we can expect much more.

 

[Nienna]

So, it is pretty much official now. If we are lucky we will see Putin in action for 6 more years! Starting in spring next year. I think the PTB will not like that at all. My bet is that this will be his last term though. I don’t think he would run again in 7 years, due to age. If that’s the case, I think it is likely that he will try to accomplish as much as he possibly can in those last 6 years. Which might mean that what we have seen so far is just the beginning and we can expect much more.

Yes, and we can be sure that those in the West are going to do everything they can to get rid of Putin.

 

[hesperides]

Ca., your catch on poor Putin left out in the cold is unbeatable, it leaves me purring like a cat.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1732899655409619011

 

[youlik]

I am not a great expert in these matters, but against the background of a reduction in Ukrainian exports, this ban looks like an attempt to manipulate world prices.

Russia has imposed a temporary ban on the export of durum wheat varieties
The Russian government has decided to temporarily ban the export of durum wheat varieties in order to ensure food security and maintain stable prices for products from this wheat in the domestic market. The ban is expected to be in effect until May 31, 2024.

However, it is important to note that this restriction does not apply to the export of durum wheat as humanitarian aid or its supply to regions such as Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

This decision comes after Russia refused to extend the Black Sea Food initiative in July. One of the main reasons for this decision was that Western countries turned this initiative from a humanitarian action into a commercial deal, which led to the fact that a significant part of the food was sent to rich countries, leaving the poorest African countries with almost no help.

Earlier it was reported that a record grain harvest was harvested in Russia in 2023, which raised a number of questions regarding the introduction of an export ban.

В России ведён временный запрет на экспорт твердых сортов пшеницы

Idiots who are dumbfounded by their own importance should be shown their real place.

The Federation Council responded to the Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces to the words about a "possible war with Russia"
, Chairman of the Federation Council Commission on information Policy Alexei Pushkov commented on yesterday's loud statement by the Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces Karel Rzechka about the possibility of a military clash with the Russian Federation.

According to Rzechka, the fighting between the Czech Republic and Russia is not "unimaginable", although at the moment they are "implausible", but Prague should "intimidate Russia" — to show that the Czech armed forces are supposedly able to repel the Russian army.

"The value of the opinion of the Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Republic is close to zero.

The Czech Republic is a country with 10 million people and a small army. Its military and politicians are inflated by their own importance, since the Czech Republic is a member of NATO.

But such a topic as war with Russia, NATO countries that have the ability to wage such a war, do not even seriously discuss with the Czech Republic. And decisions on this matter are made far from Prague.

And when a certain Czech general claims that he can imagine a war with Russia, it looks both pompous and stupid, since nothing depends on his country here at all," the Russian senator stressed.

https://rusvesna.su/news/1702364378

Spoiler: Russian spelling

Я не большой специалист в этих вопросах, но на фоне сокращения украинского экспорта, данный запрет похож на попытку манипулирования мировыми ценами.
Ошалевшим от собственной значимости придуркам надо показывать их настоящее место.

 

[youlik]

The event turned out to be a long one, there is a lot of information and the format is such that you need to read from below

The results of the year with Vladimir Putin — LIVE TEXT
The news is being updated
14.12.2023 - 15:30

At 12:00 (Moscow time), a large-scale event began in Gostiny Dvor, combining a large press conference and a direct line from President Vladimir Putin.

The Russian leader sums up the results of 2023, answering topical questions from Russian and foreign journalists and residents of our country.

"Russian Spring" offers its readers a text broadcast, which is based on the materials of RIA Novosti.

16:13

The event has ended.

16:12

"The results of the year with Vladimir Putin" have come to an end. The Head of State asked not to be angry with him for not being able to answer all the questions.

16:12

"I would say to myself: "You are going the right way, comrade," the president stressed.

Regarding advice and parting words: we must believe in the great Russian people. This faith is the key to the success of the whole country

16:11

A question from a journalist of the Kommersant newspaper. What would Putin say to himself in 2000 against the background of changing events?

16:10

The President promised to discuss these issues with Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin and other officials.

16:08

The development of the eastern polygon is the most significant, Putin noted. The direction voiced by the journalist is also of particular importance. He promised to discuss this issue with officials.

16:07

A question from a journalist from the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug. They talked about the highway that will connect Yugra with Siberia and China.

16:06

The President promised to sort out the support for this initiative.

16:03

What advice would you give to young people?

Putin: take care of your honor from a young age. Today we need to think about what will happen tomorrow. It is necessary to set ambitious goals and objectives, even unattainable ones.

16:03

The most memorable gift?

Putin: the biggest gift is children. And the children of our children.

16:02

A blitz poll.

Who did Vladimir Putin want to be as a child?

A scout, he replied.

16:01

Many foreign citizens apply to return to Russia. The President noted that the country will contribute to this issue.

15:59

As for the support of migrant family members, they should not be abandoned, the president noted. We need a special body that would study these problems in a complex. There is a lot of work to be done in this area, but first of all it is necessary to be guided by the interests of Russian citizens, Putin stressed.

15:57

The Head of state said that up to ten million migrants work in Russia. They have a positive effect on the economic component, but their presence should not affect the local population.

The President noted that migrants need to be prepared in advance if they want to come to Russia. It's about respecting the laws of the country and its traditions.

15:56

The issue of migrants. Many are concerned about their influx, many are thinking about limiting jobs for them. What does the president think about this?

15:56

As for the turn to the East, it's not about the aggravation of the Ukrainian conflict. According to the head of state, this step was planned earlier. Moscow is currently working on further development of energy supplies. At the same time, Russia is acting with a focus on the current situation, the president added.

15:53

Putin stressed that Gazprom fulfills its responsibilities in full to European countries. According to him, the supply restrictions are not the fault of Russia, but of those countries that wanted to do so themselves.

As for Ukraine, it still consumes our gas in one way or another, Putin noted.

15:51

A question from a journalist from Primorye.

Turning to the East is a global strategy that is now being progressively implemented. How promising is the Asian gas supply market, and what will it give to the nearby Russian regions? Why is Russian energy still being sent to European countries, isn't it better to improve gasification at home?

15:48

The Head of State noted that a child is a "gift from God", and it is necessary to pay attention, including to women's consultations, to put this area in order. In addition, maternity wards need to be improved. We also need to continue to work on supporting families with children.

15:47

The President stressed that there is no ban on abortion in Russia. He recalled a similar experience with alcohol restrictions, and what it led to. According to Putin, the church is fighting for the life of every person and it has its own attitude to the topic of abortion.

At the same time, the State is interested in ensuring that women, in case of pregnancy, make a choice in favor of preserving the child. Nevertheless, their rights must also be respected.

15:45

The question of children from the journalist Berezovskaya. The topic of abortion in Russia is very hot. Many are calling for a stop to the "bacchanalia" in this area.

15:44

As for Russia's food security, it has been ensured, Putin stressed. Nevertheless, there is something to work on here, and money is being allocated to address these issues.

15:42

The Ministry of Agriculture has many programs to support agriculture. But without the active work of the villagers, nothing would have happened, Putin stressed. Farmers make a huge contribution to the development of the market. The President also thanked all employees of the industry for their hard work during the year, they managed to achieve excellent results.

Assistance is provided to livestock enterprises, if anything additional is needed, these issues need to be resolved.

15:40

A question from a resident of the Volgograd region about agriculture. Are new programs of the Ministry of Agriculture planned to support farms? Will it be possible to build a normal road to the administrative center?

15:39

Putin noted that it is not necessary to eliminate them, they help many people.

Another issue is when they abuse their powers, it is necessary to regulate their activities.

15:38

The President promised to solve this problem.

15:37

A question from a volunteer working in Donbass. According to him, the natives of the LPR and DPR working in this field do not have payments in case of injury or death.

15:36

The Head of State replied that he would visit the region soon. He noted that he highly appreciates the residents of Donbass and thanks them for their support.

15:35

A journalist from Luhansk addressed the president. He stated that he had no question, since there was nothing to complain about in the LPR. He expressed gratitude to the President and the government for the integration processes. He also thanked the patronizing regions for the substantial assistance of the LPR. He still asked the question: when will the president come to visit?

15:33

The President noted that the people living in this territory should determine their future.

He stressed that Moscow has largely similar views on the situation in the world with the leadership of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

15:32

A question from a journalist from Republika Srpska. According to her, the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East complicate the situation in the Balkans, in particular, in Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to her, the country has essentially become a "Western protectorate." The Serbs are accused of fraternal relations with Russia.

Not a single Russian-language media is represented in the Republika Srpska, while the country is flooded with Western media. How does the president feel about the fact that all major world wars began in the Balkans?

15:27

A question from RIA Novosti correspondent Elena Glushakova. According to her, the regions bordering Ukraine are shelled daily by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Is enough being done to support the local population? Is it necessary to develop entrepreneurship in the region at all, given the attacks of Kiev?

15:25

The President noted that only he should speak in his voice. Answering Arina's question, he said that no one would replace his grandmother and other relatives.

As for the development of artificial intelligence, it is impossible to prevent this. So, we need to lead this, Putin noted.

We can also talk about possible restrictions and self-restrictions, about agreements between the leaders of this area when the industry becomes a threat.

15:22

A question from eight-year-old Arina Simonova. She is afraid that people, including relatives, will soon be replaced by robots.

There was also a question from Vladimir Putin's "double". How does the president feel about the development of neural networks?

15:21

The President noted that the presence of domestic brands in Russia increased by 31 percent. According to him, a systematic approach to supporting this industry is necessary.

It is necessary to promote regional brands in every possible way, this will make the market more attractive to consumers, the head of state stressed.

15:20

A question from the owner of a clothing store for adults and children. Is it possible to form a systematic support for such enterprises so that it is not selective?

15:18

As for Armenia, the termination of membership in the CSTO and the EAEU does not meet the interests of Yerevan, Putin believes.

According to him, the absence of Prime Minister Pashinyan at recent meetings does not mean disintegration.

15:16

If Moldova does not want to be a participant in these processes, then so be it, the president stressed. It is one of the poorest countries in Europe, he noted.
"Let them do what they want," Putin said.

At the same time, Moscow is ready to work with this country in agreement.

15:14

Putin noted that relations in such organizations are based on mutually beneficial cooperation. He cited the Eurasian Economic Union as an example. This creates conditions that increase competitiveness in global markets.

15:13

A question from a correspondent of the Mir TV channel about the future of the CIS, taking into account the positions of Armenia and Moldova. How does the President assess integration associations in the post-Soviet space in general?

15:12

The President noted that the main thing in this matter is that the state does not interfere. If there are problems, you need to report it. At the same time, the Head of State pointed to the corporate ethics of bloggers and their self-restraint. It's about morality, morality, and child safety.

15:10

A question from blogger Sasha Stone (Alexander Zarubin). What is the president's opinion on the future of the blogging field?

15:09

The Head of state promised to talk with the head of the region and the head of Rosseti on this issue.

15:08

A question from a journalist from the Novgorod region about the region's electric grid complex. According to him, the percentage of wear on power lines is about 70 percent, with the slightest snowfall, many were left without power. The governor of the region addressed the President on this issue.

As a result, it was decided to allocate six billion rubles to solve this problem, but little has changed since then.

15:06

As for Chinese cars, their "expansion" is typical not only for Russia. Manufacturers from China are actively behaving in other markets, displacing local brands, in particular, in Europe.

At the same time, the quality of their cars is steadily increasing, the president noted.

15:03

The President noted that when many foreign brands left Russia, many questions arose, in particular about the development of their own base. According to him, AvtoVAZ copes with the number of cars produced, but many components are produced for a more expensive price, which affects the overall cost.

The Head of State stressed that it is necessary to develop our own platform and develop it.

Putin added that own components also need to be produced. The Ministry of Industry and Trade is actively working on this issue.

15:01

The question of the "expansion" of Chinese cars into Russia. According to the journalist Berezovskaya, many are concerned about the cost of both these cars and domestic ones.

14:58

People have almost stopped complaining about the quality of roads in Russia, Zarubin said. Nevertheless, many are concerned about fares on toll roads, in particular on the recently opened M-12. According to him, the fare from Moscow to Kazan is about six thousand rubles.

Muscovite Sergey Gvozdev-Karelin asked the president to pay attention to this problem.

14:56

On the issue of the new history textbook, there were more than 60 versions of manuals on this subject, Putin noted. According to him, there was "anything", but some almost did not indicate the significance of the battle, in particular, at Stalingrad. The President stressed that the issues of studying history are constantly discussed.

It is necessary to treat this very intelligently and kindly, while all textbooks should be truthful, and not serve private interests.

14:53

Putin noted that the above-mentioned anniversaries are of great moral importance. For almost every family, this has a personal dimension.

His elder brother is buried in a mass grave in St. Petersburg near the president himself.

14:52

A question from a Komsomolskaya Pravda journalist about a new history textbook. Why was he needed?

Second question: next year marks the tenth anniversary of the return of Crimea to Russia and the 80th anniversary of the lifting of the siege of Leningrad. What is the president's attitude to these events?

14:49

Putin stressed that the country has a separate program on cancer. He promised to consider similar measures with cardiovascular.

The Head of State noted that the Ministry of Health is closely dealing with this problem.

14:48

A question from a journalist from the Novgorod region about the healthcare sector. Despite the measures taken, mortality from cardiovascular diseases is high. Is it possible to create a federal program for the construction of specialized centers?

14:47

The President noted that the program of "flat tariffs" will definitely be extended. According to him, the region is huge, "it is a separate world." It's not easy to move even inside at such long distances, he added.

14:45

A question from a journalist from the Magadan region. According to him, the region feels the support of the government, which has a positive effect on its development.

He noted that the connection with the Mainland is important for the region. The journalist stressed that due to problems with subsidies, it is sometimes easier to get to Moscow than to Khabarovsk. Is it possible to develop this area?

14:43

The Head of State noted that at some point the French president stopped communicating with Moscow.

According to him, Russia is ready to resume dialogue, but if Paris refuses, "there is no court."

14:42

A question from a French journalist. How does Putin perceive France and President Emmanuel Macron? Are meetings planned?

14:41

The President noted that 96 percent of Russian citizens consider interfaith and interethnic harmony in the country to be a huge competitive advantage over other states. Traditional denominations make a huge contribution to this issue.

As for the growth of Islamophobia, Russophobia, and anti-Semitism, there is indeed a trend.

The President gave an example of the situation in the Gaza Strip, the reaction of the Islamic world to it and further Islamophobia.

The Head of State stressed that the authorities are doing everything to achieve justice in this area. As for Russophobia, this is one of the vectors of the fight against Russia, he noted.

14:37

A question from an RT journalist. How does the president assess the growing nationalism in Russia and in the world? We are talking, in particular, about anti-Semitism.

14:36

The President promised to study this issue. He noted that the state allocates a lot of money to this area. It is planned to extend the primary health care program in the future, Putin stressed. It is very important to pay special attention to the countryside. A little more than half of the funds allocated for this program go there, the head of state said.

14:34

This is Egor Perminov from the Sverdlovsk region. He complained about health problems. The authorities are actively engaged in landscaping the territories, but not the hospitals themselves. Doctors' salaries leave much to be desired, and the population cannot receive proper care.

14:33

Regarding the withdrawal of Western pharmaceutical companies from Russia, the government is actively working to resolve this issue. A parallel import commission has been established, and its own production is developing.

14:32

Putin noted that timely decisions had not been made in the case of the measles vaccine. This will be fixed soon.

As for the rise in morbidity, this happens worldwide once every four years, the president added.

14:30

The issue of the increase in the incidence of various infections, including measles. The Samara region has run out of vaccines against this disease. In addition, many Western pharmaceutical companies have left Russia, and this has created certain difficulties. How does the country deal with them?

14:29

The President noted that Moscow did not refuse to hand over Whelan and Gershkovich, but it is necessary to negotiate. According to him, the dialogue is not easy, the American side must hear the Russian side and make a compromise decision.

14:27

A question from a journalist from the American New York Times about the detainees in Russia, Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich. According to her, the return of these people home could affect the improvement of relations between Moscow and Washington.

14:25

As for the BRICS, Russian-Chinese relations have become one of the essential guarantors of stability in the world. Moscow sees NATO's attempts to inflame the situation in the Asia-Pacific region.

In turn, the friendship between Russia and China is not directed against anyone, unlike the countries of the North Atlantic Alliance.

14:24

Putin noted that the level of interaction with Beijing is incredibly high. The trade turnover this year will be more than $ 200 billion, an increase of 30 percent compared to last year. At the same time, cooperation is developing in various fields, including infrastructure and high-tech areas. A significant boost was given by the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping in March this year.

Then it was possible to agree on the development of relations in eight directions, Putin said.

14:22

A question from a journalist from the Chinese newspaper Xinhua. Two questions: what is the importance of coordination between Russia and China within the framework of the BRICS and what are the expectations of cooperation between the two countries next year?

14:21

Putin noted that some companies bought foreign aircraft in large volumes. Nevertheless, it was necessary to take care of creating a market for domestic equipment. Something has been done, but the aircraft fleet is still overloaded with foreign aircraft.

It is necessary to develop our own aircraft industry, the president stressed. Russia plans to produce over a thousand aircraft by 2030. This will help to increase the number of long-haul aircraft.

The President stressed that the country has opportunities to implement these plans.

14:18

The question is about the planes. What will happen to civil aviation in the conditions of sanctions, given the gradual exhaustion of the resource?

14:17

Putin stressed that Kazan has been developing very well lately. According to him, the level of culture of the local population is respected. The development of Tatarstan as a whole is connected with this. The President recalled that Kazan has held a number of major sporting and political events. Good relations between faiths have been built.

As for the world order, the BRICS will influence it in the right direction.

This association shows that there are large countries that want to live according to their interests and the interests of their partners.

14:14

A question from a journalist from Tatarstan about the BRICS forum in Kazan. What impact will the summit have on the world order and is the choice of the capital of the republic related to the fact that this city has become a kind of "hub" for negotiations with Muslim countries?

14:09

The President also noted that with increased household spending on housing and communal services, they are entitled to a subsidy. In addition, it is wrong to pay a commission to the bank for the payment of these services. The President said that pensioners will no longer pay this commission.

14:06

The question of housing and communal services prices. Many people say that even the "light at the end of the tunnel" has risen in price. A pensioner from Novosibirsk, in particular, said that they plan to raise housing and communal services in the city to 15 percent, and index pensions by 7.5 percent.

He stressed that such a situation is unacceptable and asked the president to help.

14:03

"I talked with the Minister of Agriculture, asked how he was doing with eggs," Putin said.

The President stressed that decisions on this issue have been made and the situation should improve soon. He also apologized for such a "failure" on the part of the government.

14:00

The topic of price increases is not new, but this year there are new manifestations. We are talking, in particular, about the cost of eggs. As the pensioner who addressed the president said, prices for this product, as well as for chicken, have more than doubled.

14:00

In the New Year, we need to pay more attention to our loved ones and family — to find common cause, visit exhibitions, theaters, and play sports, Putin noted, answering a relevant question.

13:58

Responding to a blitz poll from the audience, Putin noted that in many European countries, many people believe that Russia is "doing everything right." According to him, Moscow has many supporters in the world on the issue of protecting traditional values.

13:56

The President stressed that he was not very aware of this case. Sentences for some crimes, in particular economic ones, sometimes cause him consternation. Nevertheless, at a certain stage of economic development, the public danger of such acts grows so much that it requires tougher measures.

Putin also said that it is necessary to think about mitigating punishments for women.

However, while the law is in force, it must be respected, he stressed. The Head of State promised to address the legislators on this issue.

13:53

A question from a journalist from the Life portal about criminal penalties. He mentioned the story of the verdict of journalist Alexandra Bayazitova, pointing out its excessive severity.

13:51

Transport and passenger flows are increasing, Putin noted. In the first place — air transportation, in the second — railway, followed by trucking.

The President stressed that domestic tourism is developing at a good pace, and thanked the employees of this sector for their work.

13:49

The President stressed that passenger safety remains the main criterion.

According to him, it is necessary to analyze the situation and make a decision on the opening of the airport in Krasnodar.

As for transport accessibility, it is planned to build a high-speed road. Now it is important to create an effective structure that would help to implement this project.

13:47

A question from a journalist from the Krasnodar Territory.

Kuban resorts have broken the record for the number of tourists this year. This is a huge burden on the infrastructure. Are there any plans at the federal level to develop transport accessibility in the south of Russia? He also clarified information about the opening of the airport in Krasnodar.

13:46

What does the ruble exchange rate depend on? It depends on many factors, including the price of exports, the president said. According to him, Russia used to receive information about capital movements, but now many countries have hidden this information. The Central Bank has a legitimate desire to see "how rubles accumulate and where they go."

In general, the situation in the financial market is stable. The most important thing is to ensure stability and predictability, Putin stressed.

13:44

Regarding Russia's rejection of the dollar, Western countries are shooting themselves in the foot, Putin said. The Head of State recalled that in 2021, when servicing exports, Moscow used 87 percent of foreign currency — the dollar and the euro. The ruble was used in 11-13 percent of cases. By September 2023, the ruble was used in 40 percent, and the use of the euro and the dollar had decreased to 24 percent.

13:42

The President noted that pegging to the dollar is fraught with severe socio-economic consequences. When solving domestic economic problems, any state thinks first of all about social obligations. According to Putin, Russia, in particular, is coping with this task, despite the pressure.

In turn, pegging to the dollar in case of problems leads to a reduction in public sector spending, including medicine, roads, education, and so on.

Nevertheless, this is an internal matter for Argentina, Putin noted.

13:39

Putin stressed that he was aware of the initiative of the Argentine president. He recalled that inflation in this country is about 143 percent and there is a large national debt. According to the head of state, the transition to the dollar is a significant loss of sovereignty.

13:38

A question from an RBC journalist.

The other day, Javier Miley became the new president of Argentina, who is going to introduce the dollar as a national currency. Meanwhile, Russia is gradually abandoning the American currency. What is the state of affairs in this area?

13:37

The President said that it is worth considering expanding this resettlement program. It will continue. As for the increase in costs, this issue will also be studied. Regarding the provision of loans, this is also a mild form of assistance to the region, not so burdensome for the Ministry of Finance.

With regard to preferential categories, Putin promised to discuss this issue with the government.

13:34

A question from a journalist from the Komi Republic. The question was asked by residents of the northern territories, including the city of Vorkuta. We are talking about moving people to warmer places, in particular to Syktyvkar. The journalist suggested focusing on two queues — citizens with disabilities and pensioners.

13:32

Putin stressed that many faced a problem when documents were processed in the LPR and DPR before their recognition by Russia. The relevant commissions have now been established in the regions. Many in these republics have already confirmed their rights.

We have already taken this path, and we will step up work to restore benefits to participants in hostilities, the president noted.

13:30

A video call from a serviceman Yulia Bereza, who is in the DPR. From the beginning of her career, she aspired to volunteer in Donbass, as did her husband. She was enlisted in the rifle regiment of the People's Militia of the DPR. She stressed that she had not received any benefits at the place of residence.

13:27

Putin stressed that legally there is no PMCs in Russia. There were no contracts with the state, which is the main problem. Payments were made in cash. Now it is difficult to establish even the list of personnel of these units.

Nevertheless, the rights of fighters of such companies should be restored.

They are entitled to all the benefits enjoyed by other combatants.

13:25

A question from a fighter from a private military company, Sergei Korolev. He stressed that the local authorities refused to pay him on his return home.

13:24

A question from a wounded stormtrooper from his area. He asked to provide fighters with "jammers" of the electronic warfare system.

Putin promised to clarify this information with journalists and military officers later.

13:22

The Head of State clarified the information about the payments. He particularly noted the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation, stressing that its work will continue to develop.

13:21

As for the return of the wounded to the hospital, the situation has changed there. Everything can be done not in a hospital, but in places of rehabilitation.

The Defense Ministry said that the mechanism had been adjusted, but Putin promised to double-check the situation.

13:17

A question from the war correspondent Dmitry Kulko. Has the system of payments to military personnel been adjusted and can it be improved?

The second question is about the wounded. Today, soldiers who have been wounded are required to return to the unit to undergo a commission. It's hard, and it would be better for this commission to be held in places of treatment.

The third problem is the lack of drones. Many people respond to the call for help, but this is not enough. UAV operators also cannot take them far away, as they cannot leave Russian fighters without support.

13:14

The Head of State noted that he would talk with the head of the republic Sergey Aksenov, and this problem would be solved point-by-point.

13:14

The guys from Crimea appealed to the president with a request to contribute to the repair of the sports hall.

13:13

As for the situation in Gaza, the President noted that sports are outside politics. He added that it is incorrect to "point the finger" at others. According to Putin, both Russians and Israelis should go to the Olympics.

At the same time, we need to carefully analyze the conditions of the IOC, and if they are aimed at "cutting off" our leaders, "de-energizing" our national team, and showing that Russian sport is not developing, then the Ministry of Sports and the National Olympic Committee need to make an informed decision on the participation of athletes.

13:10

Regarding the decision of the IOC. Firstly, all the actions of international officials in relation to Moscow are a complete contradiction to the slogan "oh, sport, you are the world." According to Putin, they became dependent on sponsors.

If officials act the same way in the future, they will bury the Olympic movement.

13:08

The question of sports. A week ago, the IOC imposed strict conditions for the participation of Russian athletes in the Olympics, while no one applied any sanctions to the Israelis.

Question — will the program of physical culture and sports be continued, in particular, in the Russian countryside?

13:07

Putin noted that the Russia exhibition was truly a success. Regional expositions are among the most striking. The President promised to attend the forum.

13:06

A journalist from the VGTRK branch in Mordovia addressed the president. She recalled that, according to surveys, 97 percent feel a sense of pride after visiting the exhibition-forum "Russia" at VDNH. She invited the President to the exposition of the Republic of Mordovia.

13:04

What should be done to attract specialists? Putin proposed to raise the lifting fees for doctors and paramedics to two and one million, respectively.

13:02

The correspondent of Channel One, located in the Zaporozhye region, is in touch. There are not enough doctors in the region, in particular oncologists and hematologists. The dispensary has to take over these functions. There are about 50-60 patients per day per doctor, compared to 30 prescribed by the standard.

The load has been doubled.

At the same time, equipment supplies are underway, and the surgical complex is being repaired.

The head physician of the hospital asked about the creation of a special program to attract personnel to the field of medicine in new regions. He noted that the salary is competitive, but these measures are not enough.

12:59

Putin noted that he has similar views on this situation with the Turkish president. He stressed that he was recently ready to visit this country, but Erdogan failed to coordinate a meeting.

As for the Gaza Strip, it is necessary to keep people in the enclave and provide massive humanitarian support to the local population.

Moscow, in particular, offered to open a Russian hospital here, but the Israeli side considered it unsafe. Nevertheless, there is an agreement with Tel Aviv to increase the supply of medical equipment and medicines.

12:56

The Head of State added that the aggravation of the situation in the Gaza Strip has led to the death of many people. As for the UN, some countries are blocking solutions to this conflict.

However, this is how the organization itself works, and it is important to preserve the mechanisms of vetoing, otherwise it will simply turn into a "talking shop". This does not mean that there is no need to seek consensus. Moscow believes that the UN decisions on the creation of two states in this region — Israel and Palestine - should be implemented.

12:54

Putin noted that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan plays a significant role in resolving the conflict between Israel and Palestine and contributes to the conclusion of a long-term peace.

What is happening in this region is a disaster, the President stressed.

12:52

The new territories also paid 170 billion rubles to the country's budget. This indicates that the economy is recovering there, the president stressed.

12:43

A question from a journalist from the LPR. We are talking about the situation on the left bank of the Dnieper, as well as the restoration of facilities in new territories. What is the future of all these regions, as they will be seen as part of Russia?

12:42

Ukraine has largely lost its sovereignty and is making decisions to its own detriment. And many European figures outwardly behave like General de Gaulle, but in fact — like Marshal Petain, who later became a collaborator.

As for the United States and European countries, Moscow is ready to build relations with them, but Washington's imperial policy hinders this process. According to him, American elites should begin to respect other countries and seek a compromise, rather than impose sanctions, and then interaction can be improved.

12:39

Russia was not going to spoil relations with anyone, Putin noted.

According to him, Moscow has been trying to build relations with Ukraine for decades. Subsequently, our "opponents" went on a coup in this country, and the conflict that arose then looks like a great tragedy.

The entire south-east of Ukraine has always been pro-Russian. However, the Kiev authorities invented "historical nonsense" about identity.

At the same time, after the 2014 coup in Russia, they realized that Moscow would not be allowed to build normal relations with Ukraine. Western countries signed up as guarantors of agreements between the Yanukovych government and the protesters, but after a short time they also organized the overthrow of the legitimate government.

All this has led to the tragedy that we are experiencing now, while Europe stands silently and watches, Putin stressed.

12:35

A three-part question from a TASS journalist. What are the prospects for normalization of relations with the West?

12:34

Sailors and shipowners want the fairway to be secured, and energy companies want the river to work more for their sector. The government will not leave this problem and will deal with it, Putin noted.

12:33

A question from a journalist from Tatarstan. Local residents faced the shallowing of the Kuibyshev reservoir due to the interests of energy. Do I need to take action?

12:32

The situation will definitely be brought under control, the president noted.

With regard to the demand for former members of the SVO in the education of young people, this is extremely necessary. As Otto von Bismarck said, wars are won not by generals, but by schoolteachers and priests. The education of young people is extremely important, and Russia has already begun to do this.

Over a thousand former military personnel work in schools and in youth groups.

It's one thing to read in a book or watch a movie, another is a personal example, Putin stressed.

12:29

A question from Donbass. The fighters have been at the front for almost two years. Every new day brings a new good result. Russia's victory is obvious and inevitable. However, when everything is over, does it make sense to create a military-patriotic structure for young people with the participation of former members of the SVO?

12:28

Putin stressed that all volunteers, all those who defend the interests of Russia with weapons in their hands, should all be put in exactly the same conditions.

There are flaws, we will even have to make changes to the laws, but the authorities will achieve equal conditions for Russian fighters.

12:26

A question from a journalist from North Ossetia. Representatives of this region have always defended and continue to defend Russia's interests. Will volunteers be able to count on government support measures?

12:25

Putin noted that 300 thousand people were recruited in the first wave. These people are fighting well, 14 of them have become Heroes of Russia. 244 thousand people are in the war zone.

Shelves for maintenance of equipment have been formed, people are in great demand. 41 thousand people quit for health reasons.

After that, the authorities switched to recruiting military personnel on a contractual basis. As of yesterday, it was possible to recruit 486 thousand people. And the flow of men ready to defend their homeland is not decreasing, the president added.

The Head of State stressed that there is no need for a new wave of mobilization.

12:22

Next question. Will there be a second wave of mobilization?

12:22

As for demilitarization, Ukraine receives a lot of weapons, but they will soon begin to run out. Everything that the Western countries promised to deliver to Kiev, they sent, and even more. However, the Russian military continues to successfully destroy these weapons, Putin stressed.

12:21

Putin stressed that the tasks of his office do not change.

We are talking about the neutral status of Ukraine, denazification and demilitarization.

In Kiev, they claimed that there were no Nazis there, but when the head of the Kiev administration applauds a former SS soldier standing up, isn't this a sign of Nazification, the president wondered.

12:19

The question of a special operation. When will there be peace?

12:18

In 2023, the average life expectancy is expected to reach 74 years. According to the President, this indicator is steadily growing, and this is also influenced by the efforts of the state.

12:17

Russia's national debt has decreased, and the country is also regularly returning international loans. Repayment is proceeding rhythmically, often ahead of schedule, the president said.

12:16

The growth of investments, in turn, ensures the guaranteed development of the economy in the long term, Putin noted. In addition, the banking system also demonstrates stability.

12:14

Thanks to the high consolidation of society and the stability of the country's financial system, Russia has coped with the pressure, Putin noted. The country has accumulated this stock over the past decades. In addition, the development of the military component also played a role.

The most important indicator is GDP growth. This year it will be 3.5%, Putin noted. Russia "played back" the fall and took a big step forward.

The manufacturing industry is also growing — 7.5% year-on-year. This has not happened in Russia for a long time, the president stressed.

12:11

For Russia, existence without sovereignty is impossible, it will not exist in the form in which it existed for thousands of years.

We are talking about strengthening security, public sovereignty, ensuring the rights of citizens and security in the field of economics, technology, and the development of parliamentarism. Russia will not be able to exist without it, the president noted.

12:09

Vladimir Putin entered the hall. The straight line has started.

11:30

The number of questions received on the direct line from residents of Russia exceeded two million. Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that many are concerned about the difficult international situation and topics related to the special operation in Ukraine.

Also, many people call the direct line in order to express words of support to the president.

https://rusvesna.su/news/1702544065

Spoiler: Russian spelling

Мероприятие получилось длительное, информации много и формат такой, что читать надо снизу

 

[thorbiorn]

The event turned out to be a long one, there is a lot of information and the format is such that you need to read from below

The Kremlin website has posted a video, with English dubbing, and a partial transcription, so far:
Results of the Year with Vladimir Putin

The Russian page has a full transcript:

14 декабря, четверг
Итоги года с Владимиром Путиным14 декабря 2023 года, 16:10 Москва

Here are some links from RT about the event:
Putin to answer the nation’s questions at marathon event on Thursday
Putin speaks: the Russian president’s most important annual event This has a list of points with time entries.
Russian economy, sanctions & Ukraine conflict: Key takeaways from Putin’s marathon press conference RECAP
Below are individual articles that have been posted so far.

• Putin calls for revival of Russian auto industry
• Putin reveals number of troops in Ukraine conflict zone
• Putin rules out additional mobilization
• Russia-Ukraine conflict is a ‘civil war’ – Putin
• Kiev sends its soldiers to die – Putin
• Putin compares Ukraine and Gaza conflicts
• West ‘shooting itself in the foot’ with sanctions – Putin
• US ‘most likely’ blew up Nord Stream – Putin
• US engineered Ukraine conflict – Putin
• Russia ready for deal on jailed Americans – Putin
• Putin hits out at new Argentine president’s dollarization plan
• Putin sees bleak future for Olympic movement
• Putin answers question from ‘body double’
• Putin reveals what he would advise his younger self

And to complement the above selection, there was from Sputnik:
LIVE UPDATES: Putin Holds Year-End Press Conference and Q&A Session. It appears as if it is a string of Telegram entries.
There are also separate articles like: Putin: There Will be Peace When Russia Achieves Military Op's Goals related to this point in the live updates:

Putin: Existence of Russia Without Sovereignty is Impossible
The existence of Russia without sovereignty is impossible, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. The main thing is strengthening sovereignty — strengthening the country’s defense capability and external security, as well as strengthening the public sovereignty, meaning the unconditional provision of the rights of freedom of the country's citizens, Putin said .t.me/geopolitics_live/11494

"For a country like Russia, the existence, simply the existence of our country, without sovereignty is impossible," Putin said.

"And finally, this is ensuring security and sovereignty in the economic sphere, technological sovereignty," he added.

From Tass there was:

14 DEC, 13:28
Putin calls conflict with Ukraine similar to civil war between brothers
The Russian leader emphasized that Ukraine's constitution "did not provide for any third round"
MOSCOW, December 14. /TASS/. The conflict in Ukraine is a tragedy, akin to a civil war between brothers, President Vladimir Putin said at the combined Direct Line Q&A and year-end press conference.

"What is happening now [in Ukraine] is a huge tragedy, a kind of civil war," he said.

Putin highlighted that it should not be forgotten how the conflict in Ukraine had started. "Well, let’s take three or four minutes here. It started with the coup in Ukraine in 2014," he began. "Before that, we had been doing our best for decades, decades to establish normal relations with Ukraine, I want to emphasize this. Even after what was in fact a coup, [former Ukrainian President] Viktor Yanukovych was not allowed to take office. He won the election, but they announced a third round. What is this but a coup?" the president asked.

Putin emphasized that Ukraine's constitution "did not provide for any third round." "This is such a slithery coup. Well we, okay, <...> we accepted it too. So what happened next? He won the next election after all. What did our so-called opponents decide to do? A state coup," he said.

Every agency offers their own selection among the many points made.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

'CIA aims to install "Russian Guaido" and to create "Maidan Revolution" during the Russian presidential election.'

Russia’s top spy warns of new CIA scheme

SVR Director Sergey Naryshkin has warned about a CIA-backed project to create a Russian government-in-exile

www.rt.com

15 Dec, 2023

[...]
Naryshkin did not specify which Russian opposition figures he expected to follow CIA guidance. Some have been acting along the lines he described for years, most notably members of the Free Russia Forum, which chess master Gary Kasparov created in 2016.

 

[thorbiorn]

From the Q and A with Vladimir Putin, on December 14 2023, below are a few excerpts in the transcript that are unlikely to make news headlines in English:

Supporters of Russia around the world, motivation, stress management

Yekaterina Berezovskaya: Mr President, we have been live for almost two hours. I suggest having a little fun, in the good tradition of Direct Line.

Vladimir Putin: Please.

Yekaterina Berezovskaya: Our people send various questions that do not fit into the usual topics. For example, Yaroslav from St Petersburg: “Today our country and you personally are being denigrated and insulted in the world. Do you think that in the future someone from some German town will say: “Damn, Putin did everything right.” Or, for example, one more question to follow. “How do you cope with stress when the entire rotten world is against you?”

Pavel Zarubin: There is also: “Do you play chess? If so, who did you play with last time and who won?” and “What do you recommend Russians do on long holidays, such as New Year’s?” Lots of questions, yes.

Vladimir Putin: So, a German city… And then what?

Pavel Zarubin: How do you cope with stress when the entire rotten world is against you?

Vladimir Putin: Stress. Next?

Yekaterina Berezovskaya: How do you stay motivated to do everything?

Pavel Zarubin: Do you play chess? If so, who did you last play with?

Vladimir Putin: Chess.

Pavel Zarubin: And what do you recommend Russians do during the long New Year holidays?

Vladimir Putin: Holidays.

Why just a German city? I not only believe, I know that not only in German cities, but also in many other cities in Europe, and in the United States, not to mention other regions of the world, many people believe that we are doing everything right. We are not afraid to fight for our national interests without encroaching on others. And a lot of people support this. First.

Second, we have a huge number of supporters in the world for the way we protect our traditional values. And the number of them is increasing exponentially.

A sense of duty is what helps me survive stress, or the fact that we are being attacked, I can say this without fanfare. Over many years, I have taught myself that I need to strive to choose the most important thing and do everything to achieve my goals, without paying attention to all the fluff. Of course, this field of vision must nevertheless be wide; everything must be understood and analysed. But you need to confidently move towards your goal if you believe in what you are doing, and I believe in what I am doing.

Regarding chess. You know, I recently asked a young man: “Want to play a game of chess?” He says: “Sure.” I ask: “Do you think I will win?” He looked up at me and said: “Doubt it.” What does this mean? This means one needs to constantly work on himself. I will try to do this.

New Year. You know, I think that on New Year you must think more about your family and loved ones, do something together, and find something common to do: exhibitions, theatres, sports, of course, and have an active lifestyle. I think it would be good to spend it with your family.

[...]
The price on eggs

Irina Akopova: Good afternoon, Mr President, my favourite President,

My name is Irina Akopova and I would like to ask you to intervene. Ten eggs in our region cost between 180 and 220 rubles. Where and when have we ever had such prices? Chicken breasts were 165 rubles per kilogramme, and now it is 350 rubles. Wings were 165 rubles and now they are 250 rubles.

Mr President, have pity on pensioners. Our pension does not run into the millions. Put things in order. There is nobody else we can ask for help. It is not good that you conduct this only once a year, but this is the website we have. We should have such lines three times a year so people can talk to you.

I am very grateful to you and hope you can help.

Vladimir Putin: Ms Akopova,

You said, “once a year,” but believe me, I spoke to the Minister of Agriculture recently and asked about the egg situation. They told me everything was fine. I told him, and I am being frank with you – this was my direct response: “But our citizens have problems. The price of chicken eggs has increased by 40 percent and even more in some places. Prices are much higher for chicken meat as well.”

This is what happened. As I said, we had a slight increase, but still an increase in income, the level of salaries and so on. The demand went up. This is a relatively cheap source of protein; it is popular with people. I am happy to eat scrambled eggs myself, and at one time, I could easily gulp down ten at once in the morning. But what happened? Demand grew but production did not. This is the first point.

The second point. Imports were not started soon enough or in the needed volumes. Incidentally, some Turkish companies are now offering us additional imports. We are developing our economic ties, including in agriculture, very well. Other countries, including Belarus, also have proposals. But we didn’t start our imports on time. We should have resolved these problems within the EAEU.

Decisions were made, I think the other day, but at any rate they must be made in December, so the situation is bound to improve – there is no doubt about this. I am hoping for this very much. Because these conversations with the Ministry of Agriculture took place at least two weeks ago.

I am sorry about this and want to apologise for this problem. This is a setback in the Government’s work. Although they say this is not the case, I still think it is – the problem is related to a failure to increase imports enough. Apparently, they hoped to make more money, but they promised to fix this soon.

[...]
Family support, Serbia - "if we want to live in a balanced world"

Dmitry Peskov: I promised to Republika Srpska…

Vladimir Putin: Just a second. While this question was being asked, I read another question on the big screen on the left here. It is a very important question. A family with children, with two children, and the preferential mortgage programme is almost over… It is true that the family mortgage programme is ending. I believe it will end next July, and the Government is thinking about extending it. Of course, the Government must also consider the real possibilities of the federal budget, but I think it would be reasonable to think about extending the family mortgage programme. The programme stipulates the lowest possible down payment, only 20 percent, and the annual interest rate is 6 percent. If a family has three children, as I have pointed out, the family gets a subsidy of 450,000 rubles.

Therefore, we must certainly think about [extending it], and I will definitely give an instruction to the Government to prepare and submit proposals regarding this.

Dmitry Peskov: Let us give the floor to Republika Srpska and after it, to some other region.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, good, let us do this.

Darinka Petrovic: Good afternoon, Mr President. My name is Darinka Petrovic, I am a journalist at Alternativna TV, Republika Srpska.

You have spoken just now about the serious situation in the world, with conflicts raging on an area from Ukraine to the Middle East. All this also has an impact on the Balkans, further complicating the already serious and complicated situation there, especially in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska.

You know very well about the political situation in Bosnia, which is actually a Western protectorate. There is an illegitimate Office of the High Representative. The Serbs have been accused of supporting Russia, that is, for having good, fraternal and friendly relations [with Russia]. Russians, as well as our citizens and the Government of Republika Srpska have been accused of promoting the malicious Russian influence, as they put it. So far, there are no Russian media outlets or NGOs in the republic. At the same time, Western media and other organisations are mushrooming there.

I would like to ask you about your vision of the future of Republika Srpska and the region as a whole and to comment on the situation considering that all the biggest wars began in the Balkans.

I have many other questions, but I will not take up my colleagues’ time. I will leave my questions for the day in the future when you can grant an interview to us.

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you. I will try to give a brief answer. We are aware of the situation in Republika Srpska and in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and our views on this situation coincide with the opinion of your political authorities. This is the first point.

Second, the regarding Russian media. It is true that none of them have a presence there, which is regrettable. I do not know if you can watch RT in your republic. You cannot? We must think about this; I will ask our colleagues, Mr Dobrodeyev at the VGTRK, to think about what can be done in this sphere.

As for the future, it is for the people who live there who must determine their future. No matter what decisions from the past or present day are forced on the people who live there or in any other territory, the bottom line is that if we want to live in a balanced world where the interests of all people are respected, primarily the people who live in a particular area, we must take their sentiments, plans and wishes into account. Our policy towards that region, including Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska, will be based on these principles.

Family, children and abortion

Yekaterina Berezovskaya: Mr President, next year is the Year of Family in Russia. It is a wonderful occasion to once again think of our families and friends. You once said that there is nothing better than a family with many children. This year, I became a mom myself, my daughter turns 6 months today.

Vladimir Putin: Congratulations.

Yekaterina Berezovskaya: But, you know, the issue of having children is very sensitive. It happens that when a woman finds out that she is pregnant, she has her personal, serious reasons to terminate the pregnancy. The abortion issue is currently a very hot topic in the country; our citizens are concerned about it.

I will read out several messages from Moscow: “Please stop the mayhem with banning abortions. The ban on conducting terminations at private clinics will lead to an increased load on state clinics, whose number is being reduced due to healthcare reforms,” “Bans will lead directly to back-alley abortions and increase the mortality rate among women. It is simply irresponsible.”

What is your position on this issue?

Vladimir Putin: Well, do we have a ban?

Yekaterina Berezovskaya: Not yet. But it is possible that the number of abortions performed by private clinics will decline.

Vladimir Putin: So why are they talking about some mayhem, bans? There are no bans.

As for bans, I just recalled the ban on alcohol. We remember what it led to: people began drinking surrogate alcohol, make moonshine themselves and get poisoned by these surrogates. As regards abortions, we also need to act very carefully.

Naturally, I know the position of the Church; it cannot have any other position. The Church fights for the life of each person, and it has its own stance on abortions, which is understandable. But at the same time, I just spoke about the sad results of the alcohol prohibition campaign, and we need to keep them in mind.

But the state is interested in dealing with the demographic problem so that women, after learning about their pregnancy will decide to keep their baby. This is obvious. But, I reiterate, the rights and freedoms of women also must be observed.

I think that the solution to this problem lies in at least two areas. The first has to do with addressing our traditional values, which include, first of all, a large family. They teach us that children are a gift from God for both women and men. And the other area is the financial wellbeing.

We spoke about primary healthcare earlier. But in addition to that, it is necessary to pay attention to women’s health clinics: there is much to be improved, and it is necessary to do so. We need to think about in what way and how fast it is necessary to improve maternity wards in regional hospitals and outpatient clinics. This area requires our attention.

And the third thing: it is necessary to find more ways to support families with children. This includes mortgage, subsidies and the further improvement of all the measures developed by the state over the past years to support families with children. This is my approach in brief.

[...]
Immigration

Pavel Zarubin: To be sure, we cannot help but mention one more issue that is making people quite worried, specifically, labour migration. Heavy snowfalls have now hit largest megacities, and many people are grateful to migrants who helped with snow removal (local residents are highly unlikely to work in this field). However, to put it very mildly, there are people concerned about the number of migrants and the consequences of this migration. Some regions are even restricting the work of migrants. What do you think about this issue?

Vladimir Putin: This is a complicated issue. It is typical of many countries, including Russia. According to various estimates, over ten million labour migrants live here. As I said at the beginning, the national labour market features low, 2.9 percent unemployment rates, meaning there is almost no unemployment, while the labour market has its needs. But this does not mean that we should address economic issues at any price and solve labour market problems to the detriment of the local population. Is it necessary to attract migrants here? Yes, it is. Of course, we are mostly interested in skilled workers. It appears that we cannot do without unskilled workers too. However, we need to start working with our partners in countries (where these workers come from) well in advance. One should say that our friends from these countries wholeheartedly support this approach. They open Russian-language schools, as well as affiliates of our higher education institutions and universities. We welcome all this, and we will do our utmost in every way. They are in need, and they are asking us to send our teachers, to expand these programmes and curricula and to supply them with textbooks. We need to prepare for this in advance. This is the first thing.

Second, all migrants should, without reservation, respect our laws and traditions of the peoples of the Russian Federation, and the relevant institutions of state authority should monitor compliance with these requirements, and they should respond to violations on time.

Third, it is necessary to create normal human conditions for these migrants. I saw a question on the screen here: How much will we spend on resolving social issues of migrants’ families? Yes, of course, I realise that this is a sensitive issue. However, the situation would hardly be better were we to leave these people, these children, and the wives of migrants to their own devices. How will things develop? We are better off influencing them.

Yes, all aspects of this issue are not that simple; they are not painted in white or black. More and more children of migrants enrol at certain schools, and their number exceeds that of local children. However, we need to address these issues in advance, we need to work with them, instead of pretending that these problems are emerging only now.

Quite possibly, we need a special agency, not just the Interior Ministry, which deals with technical legal issues. We need a special agency that would analyse this entire issue, and that would find timely solutions for every aspect of this issue.

This amounts to large-scale work. However, we should be guided by the interests of the local population, citizens of the Russian Federation, in the first place. I would like to draw the attention of representatives of all branches and levels of authority to this aspect.

Pavel Zarubin: Incidentally, Yekaterina and I have noted that there are very many messages and requests for Russian citizenship from citizens of various European countries and the United States.

Yekaterina Beresovskaya: We received some from Italy, Sweden, and Germany, and the stories they have reported are absolutely horrible. For example, a family in Sweden was evicted from its own house when the special military operation began. These people want to return to Russia and to live here permanently.

Vladimir Putin: We have rules and legal regulations on granting Russian citizenship. We will welcome such decisions and all law-abiding citizens of other countries who decide to move to Russia, to live and work here, and to tie their fate and that of their children with Russia.

The number of such people is probably not as large as the masses of migrants from Africa and the Middle East moving into Western Europe or from Latin America into the United States. This is changing the ethnic composition there and will soon change it irreversibly. The balance of ethnic groups in the United States will inevitably change, and the share of Latin Americans there will inevitably increase. We should monitor this situation closely. As for the people you are talking about, those who knowingly want to move to Russia, and not even for economic reasons, we will welcome their decision, but we will also act in accordance with our laws.

Yekaterina Berezovskaya: Mr President, we have been talking more than four hours now.

Vladimir Putin: It is time to end this.

Yekaterina Berezovskaya: Maybe a few blitz questions?

Vladimir Putin: Yes, please.

Yekaterina Berezovskaya: What did you dream of becoming as a child?

Vladimir Putin: I have already spoken about this. Every person’s view of the values surrounding them change in different periods in their lives. I wanted to be a pilot. But when I was in high school, I mostly wanted to become an intelligence officer, and, as you now, I became one.

Pavel Zarubin: A New Year question then: What do you like more, dressed herring or Russian salad?

Vladimir Putin: It depends on what you are drinking.

Yekaterina Berezovskaya: What is the best present you received from Father Frost?

Vladimir Putin: The best present? I think that very many people in this room and those who are watching us will agree that the best present is our children and the children of our children. They are a gift from the Almighty.

By the way, regarding presents. It is not the presents we receive but the presents we give that please us the most, because we look at ourselves in the mirror and pat ourselves on the back. I am sure that people, especially the male part of this audience and the country, like to give presents more than to receive them. On the other hand, both instances are pleasant.

Pavel Zarubin: What advice would you give to young people?

Vladimir Putin: Well, we have folk wisdom, sayings, very many of them. One saying is “a good name is sooner lost than won.” You know, that would be my general advice. One should think today about what will happen tomorrow.

I would also add, always set ambitious goals. Set goals that may look unachievable. Having set such goals, a person will strive to achieve them and will certainly succeed.

Yekaterina Berezovskaya: Mr President, what are you reading these days?

Vladimir Putin: I will re-read the Criminal Code because some people believe that for some insignificant, as your colleagues think, wrongdoings, punishments are too harsh.

I have little time for reading. I have a Lermontov book on my nightstand. I love it. He was a brilliant young man. I am very curious about the way of thinking of such geniuses of that time. I would like to learn more about their values and what makes them relevant today. Lermontov was a genius. I am really enjoying his works.

In another thread, I posted the remarks on the situation in Gaza:

 

[Nević Nenad]

From the Q and A with Vladimir Putin, on December 14 2023, below are a few excerpts in the transcript that are unlikely to make news headlines in English:

Supporters of Russia around the world, motivation, stress management

[...]
The price on eggs

[...]
Family support, Serbia - "if we want to live in a balanced world"


Family, children and abortion


[...]
Immigration

In another thread, I posted the remarks on the situation in Gaza:

its actually Republika Srpska, serbian part of Bosnia, not Serbia.

Serbia is under total western ocupation so there is little to none chance that you can see someone from Serbia's news in Russia.

 

[thorbiorn]

its actually Republika Srpska, serbian part of Bosnia, not Serbia.

Serbia is under total western ocupation so there is little to none chance that you can see someone from Serbia's news in Russia.

Thank you for correcting me. I tried to learn more and found on the Wiki:

Republika Srpska (Serbian Cyrillic: Република Српска, pronounced [repǔblika sr̩̂pskaː] ⓘ, lit. "Serb Republic"); also known as Republic of Srpska) is one of the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in the north and east of the country. Its largest city and administrative centre is Banja Luka, lying on the Vrbas river, and with a population of about 138,963 people.

Republika Srpska was formed in 1992 at the outset of the Bosnian War with the stated intent to safeguard the interests of the Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The war saw the expulsion of the vast majority of Croats and Bosniaks from the territory claimed by Republika Srpska and an inflow of Serbs expelled from Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Following the Dayton Agreement of 1995, Republika Srpska was recognised as an entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina. Today most of Bosnia and Herzegovina's Serb population lives in Republika Srpska.

Republika Srpska has a parliamentary-style government, with the National Assembly holding legislative power within the entity. Republika Srpska is relatively centralised, although it is split into 64 municipalities called opštine.[9] The legislature holds 83 seats, and the current session is the tenth since its founding.

The Wiki for the Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina has a table that gives an overview

Name	Area (km2)	Pop.	Ethnic groups	Munic.	Status	Map
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Federacija Bosne i Hercegovine Федерација Босне и Херцеговине	26,110.5	2,243,000	Bosniaks (70.40%) Croats (22.44%) Serbs (2.55%)	79 (including 22 cities)	Entity
Republika Srpska Република Српска Republika Srpska	24,532.8	1,209,000	Serbs (82.95%) Bosniaks (12.69%) Croats (2.27%)	64 (including 10 cities)	Entity
Brčko District Brčko Distrikt Брчко Дистрикт	493	85,000	Bosniaks (42.36%) Serbs (34.58%) Croats (20.66%)	—	Self-governing district

Even if there is no Russian media presence in the republic, there is still the Sputnik page in Serbian. Other European versions are Belarussian, Lithuanian, Latvian and Moldovan. There used to be many others, but they hae been closed down in the last few years following political pressures and changes in the EU and NATO countries. Maybe the following news item on the Serbian page was motivated both as an action on the part of authorities, and as a choice of news by the recent question from Republika Srpska at the Q&A. If translated it goes:

New pressure on Srpska: Serbs in BiH arrested again for Srebrenica
09:50 16.12.2023
The arrest of seven Serbs in Zvornik for crimes in Srebrenica is a new pressure on the Republic of Srpska, but also an attempt to establish reciprocity because three Bosniaks were recently charged with war crimes against Croats, Sputnik interlocutors point out, with the assessment that the mentioned cases are based on earlier verdicts in The Hague.the tribunal.

Police officers of the state investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) arrested seven people in the area of Zvornik on Friday, suspected of committing, as stated, the crime of genocide, in connection with the shooting and killings at the site of Orahovac.
[...]