Events in Russia

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Today, Vladimir Vladimirovich had fun in full. At first, he flew for half an hour on a large, white, beautiful and fast plane.

Putin flew a Tu-160 strategic missile carrier from the airport in Kazan (VIDEO)

Russian President Vladimir Putin flew a Tu-160 strategic missile carrier from the airport in Kazan.

Earlier, footage of the flight preparation was published.

Putin called the Tu-160 a new aircraft with improved handling, reliability and armament.

The president also noted that a rest room for the crew appeared on the upgraded missile carrier.

The flight lasted 30 minutes.

https://rusvesna.su/news/1708610267

Then he took a ride in a new and also white KAMAZ.

Putin arrived at the section of the M-12 Vostok highway driving a KAMAZ truck

It is noted that Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin was sitting in the cockpit with him.

Путин прибыл на участок трассы М-12 «Восток» за рулём КамАЗа

And in between, he managed to wittily respond to Biden's rudeness in his address.

Putin commented on Biden's statement to himself

MOSCOW, Feb 22 — RIA Novosti. Vladimir Putin, in an interview with journalist Pavel Zarubin, called the insulting statement by US President Joe Biden addressed to him an adequate reaction to words about him.

"I said that we will work with any president, but I believe that for us, for Russia, Biden is more preferable. And judging by what he just said, he said, I am absolutely right, because this is an adequate reaction to what was said on my part," the head of state stressed.

Putin recalled that last week, when asked who is better for Russia from possible US presidents — Joe Biden or former head of state Donald Trump, he replied that Biden, since he is more experienced and predictable. According to him, Moscow understands what is happening in the United States from a domestic political point of view. Putin noted that Biden could not just tell him: "Volodya, well done, thank you, you helped me a lot."

Today, Biden, speaking at a closed campaign event in San Francisco, again spoke rudely about the Russian president. The US president said that "we have crazy sons of bitches like this guy Putin and others, and we always have to worry about the nuclear conflict."

Speaking about the Russian leader, the US president has not been shy in his expressions for a long time. At first, he provoked a diplomatic scandal by calling his colleague a murderer. Biden later used expressions such as dictator, butcher and war criminal to Putin.
In response, the Russian leader wished his American colleague good health and noted that evaluating other people is like looking in a mirror.
In turn, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov called such rhetoric unacceptable and inexcusable for the leader of a country whose bombs killed hundreds of thousands of people around the world.

Путин прокомментировал высказывание Байдена в свой адрес

Spoiler: Russian spelling

Сегодня Владимир Владимирович развлекся по полной программе. Сначала полетал полчасика на большом, белом, красивом и быстром самолете.
Потом покатался на новом и тоже белом КАМАЗе.
И между делом успел остроумно ответить на хамство Байдена в свой адрес.

 

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Piers Morgan scratches the bottom of the barrel and brings out Mikhail Khodorkovsky

This demon, I mean Khodorkovsky, is now burning under his ass after the smiling widow Navalnaya was "unexpectedly" dragged to the podium in Munich. Thus, she can potentially claim Misha's place as the informal leader of the anti-Putin liberal opposition. So he's getting active.

Spoiler: Russian spelling

У этого беса, я имею ввиду Ходорковского, сейчас подгорает под задницей после того как В Мюнхене на трибуну "неожиданно" вытащили улыбчивую вдову Навальную. Таким образом она потенциально может претендовать на место Миши, как неформального лидера антипутинской либеральной оппозиции. Вот он и активничает.

 

[youlik]

This demon, I mean Khodorkovsky, is now burning under his ass after the smiling widow Navalnaya was "unexpectedly" dragged to the podium in Munich. Thus, she can potentially claim Misha's place as the informal leader of the anti-Putin liberal opposition. So he's getting active.

That's not a good sign at all for Khodorkovsky. Yulia, it seems, is being put in charge of all the "anti-Putinists", which means that all the money these traitors exist for will flow through her. We'll see.

Biden met with Navalny
US President Joe Biden met with Yulia and Daria Navalny

WASHINGTON, Feb 22 – RIA Novosti. US President Joe Biden met with Yulia and Daria Navalny in San Francisco and announced new sanctions against Russia on Friday.
"Biden met with Yulia Navalnaya and Daria Navalnaya in San Francisco," the White House said in a statement.

It also notes that the American leader confirmed that "the US administration will announce significant new sanctions against Russia tomorrow in response to the death of Alexei (Navalny)."
Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation, said earlier that Moscow considers the statements of Western politicians about Navalny's death to be outrageous and unacceptable, there is still no final information and statements from doctors and forensic experts. The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, believes that the immediate reaction of the leaders of the NATO countries with the conclusions about Navalny's death in the colony, which was announced before the conclusions of the forensic experts, is self-revealing.
The Russian Foreign Ministry noted that reactions from abroad to Navalny's death were "prepared in advance" - literally 15 minutes after the message from the Federal Penitentiary Service, "accusations made like a carbon copy began to flow." At the same time, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov noted that the West has no right to interfere in Russia's internal affairs in the situation with Navalny's death, adding that they have a "log in the eye" with Julian Assange.

Байден встретился с Навальной

Spoiler: Russian spelling

Вот это совсем не хороший знак для Ходорковского. Юлю, похоже, сажают предводителем всех "антипутинцев", а значит все денюжки, на которые существуют эти предатели, потекут через нее. Посмотрим.

 

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The President's Message to the Federal Assembly

Vladimir Putin: Dear senators! Deputies of the State Duma! Dear citizens of Russia!

Every Message to the Federal Assembly is, first of all, a look into the future. And today we will talk not only about our immediate plans, but also about strategic tasks, about those issues, the solution of which I consider to be fundamentally important for the confident, long-term development of the country.

Such a program of actions and concrete measures was largely formed during trips to the regions, direct conversations with workers, engineers of civil and defense plants, with doctors, teachers, scientists, volunteers, entrepreneurs, with large families, with our heroes-veterans, volunteers, soldiers and officers of the Armed Forces of Russia. Of course, we understand that such events are being prepared. Nevertheless, the real needs of people certainly break through in these conversations. Many ideas were put forward at large public and expert forums.

Citizens' proposals, their aspirations and hopes have become the basis, the core of those projects and initiatives that will be voiced today. I hope that their public discussion will certainly continue, because we will be able to implement all our plans only together. The tasks are big.

We have already proved that we are capable of solving the most difficult tasks, responding to any, the most difficult challenges. For example, we repelled the aggression of international terrorism, preserved the unity of the country, and did not allow it to be torn apart at the time.

We supported our brothers and sisters, their will to be with Russia, and this year is the tenth anniversary of the legendary "Russian spring". But even now, the energy, sincerity, courage of her heroes – Crimeans, Sevastopol residents, residents of the rebellious Donbass, their love for the Motherland, which they carried through generations, certainly arouse pride. All this inspires, strengthens the confidence that we will overcome everything, and together we can do everything.

That's how – with the whole world – we not only forced the deadly threat of a global epidemic to retreat quite recently, but also showed that values such as mercy, mutual support, and solidarity prevail in our society.

And today, when our Motherland defends its sovereignty and security, protects the lives of compatriots in Donbas and Novorossiya, the decisive role in this righteous struggle belongs precisely to our citizens, our solidarity, devotion to our native country, responsibility for its fate.

These qualities were clearly and unambiguously manifested at the very beginning of the special military operation, when it was supported by the absolute majority of the Russian people. Despite all the trials and the bitterness of losses, people are adamant in this choice and constantly confirm it with the desire to do as much as possible for the country and for the common good.

They work in three shifts at the factories – as many as the front needs. The entire economy, and this is the industrial, technological basis of our victory, has shown flexibility and stability. I would like to thank entrepreneurs, engineers, workers, and rural workers for their responsible, hard work in the interests of Russia.

Millions of people were united by the action "We are together" and the project of the All-Russian Popular Front "Everything for victory!". Over the past two years, Russian business has sent billions of rubles to volunteer organizations and charitable foundations that support our fighters and their families.

People send letters and parcels, warm clothes, camouflage nets to the front, transfer funds from their sometimes very modest savings. I repeat, such help is invaluable – it is everyone's contribution to the common victory. Our heroes on the front line, in the trenches, where it is most difficult, know that the whole country is with them.

I would like to note the work of the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation, the efforts of the Committee of Families of Soldiers of the Fatherland, and other public associations. I ask all authorities to continue to do everything to support the families of our heroes: parents, wives, children who are worried about their closest, dearest people, waiting for them home.

I am grateful to the parliamentary parties for consolidating around national interests. Russia's political system is one of the pillars of the country's sovereignty. We will continue to develop democratic institutions, and we will not allow anyone to interfere in our internal affairs.

The so–called West, with its colonial habits and the habit of fomenting national conflicts around the world, seeks not just to restrain our development - instead of Russia, they need a dependent, fading, dying space where they can do anything. In fact, they would like to do to Russia the same thing that they have done in many other regions of the world, including Ukraine: bring discord into our house, weaken it from within. But they miscalculated – this is an absolutely obvious thing today: they faced the firm position and determination of our multinational people.

Our soldiers and officers – Christians and Muslims, Buddhists and followers of Judaism, representatives of different ethnic groups, cultures, regions – in fact, proved better than a thousand words that the age–old cohesion and unity of the people of Russia is a colossal, all-conquering force. All together, shoulder to shoulder, they are fighting for one common Homeland.

All of us, citizens of Russia, will together defend our freedom, the right to a peaceful and decent life, determine our own path ourselves and only ourselves, protect the connection of generations, and therefore the continuity of historical development, solve the tasks that the country faces, based on our worldview, our traditions, beliefs that we will pass on to my children.

Dear friends!

The protection and strengthening of sovereignty is underway today in all directions, and above all, of course, at the front, where our fighters are fighting steadfastly and selflessly.

I thank everyone who is now fighting for the interests of the Fatherland, who is going through the crucible of military trials, risking their lives every day. The whole nation bows before your feat, mourns the dead, and Russia will always remember its fallen heroes.

(A minute of silence.)

Our Armed Forces have gained tremendous combat experience. This concerns the interaction of all types and branches of the armed forces, modern tactics and operational art. A whole galaxy of talented commanders has grown up and been tempered, who take care of people, competently perform their tasks, use new equipment, and successfully solve the tasks assigned to them. And I want to say that this is at all levels: from the platoon and the operational level to the highest level of management.

We see where and what problems we have, of course they are, and at the same time we understand what needs to be done. Such work is carried out continuously both at the front and in the rear. It is aimed at increasing the striking power of the army and navy, their manufacturability and efficiency.

The combat capabilities of the Armed Forces have increased many times. Our units are firmly in possession of the initiative, confidently advancing in a number of operational areas, liberating more and more new territories.

We did not start the war in Donbas, but, as I have said more than once, we will do everything to end it, eradicate Nazism, solve all the tasks of a special military operation, protect the sovereignty and security of our citizens.

Strategic nuclear forces are in a state of full readiness for guaranteed use. What we planned in the field of armaments, which I spoke about in the 2018 Message, is all done, or this work is being completed.

Thus, the Dagger hypersonic aviation complex has not only been put into service, but is also used with high efficiency to defeat particularly important targets during a special military operation. Also, the Zircon marine-based hypersonic strike complex has already been used in combat, which was not even mentioned in the 2018 Message, but this system is already in service.

Avangard intercontinental range hypersonic units and Peresvet laser systems are on combat duty. Tests of the Burevestnik cruise missile of unlimited range and the Poseidon unmanned underwater vehicle are being completed. These systems have confirmed their high, without exaggeration, unique characteristics. The first serial heavy ballistic missiles "Sarmat" were also delivered to the troops. We will soon demonstrate them in the combat duty areas.

Work on a number of other promising weapons systems continues, and we will learn more about the new achievements of our scientists and gunsmiths.

Russia is ready for dialogue with the United States on strategic stability issues. But here's what I would like to emphasize, dear colleagues, so that everyone understands me correctly: in this case, we are dealing with a state whose ruling circles are taking open hostile actions against us. So what? Are they seriously going to discuss issues of strategic stability with us, while at the same time trying to inflict on Russia, as they themselves say, a strategic defeat on the battlefield?

One can give a clear example of such hypocrisy. Recently, unfounded accusations have been heard more and more often, for example, against Russia, that we are allegedly going to place nuclear weapons in space. Such stuffing – and this is nothing more than stuffing – is a ploy just to get us into negotiations on our own terms, which are beneficial exclusively to the United States.

At the same time, they block our offer, which has been on their table for more than 15 years. I am referring to the draft treaty on the prevention of the deployment of weapons in outer space, which we prepared back in 2008. There is no reaction. It's not clear what they're talking about at all.

Therefore, we have every reason to believe that the words of today's American authorities about their alleged interest in negotiations with us on issues of strategic stability are demagoguery. On the eve of the US presidential election, they just want to show their citizens and everyone else that they still rule the world. They say that on those issues where it is beneficial for America to negotiate, we will have a conversation with the Russians, and where it is not profitable for them, there is nothing to discuss, as they themselves say, business as usual, there they will seek to defeat us.

But that certainly won't do. Our position is clear: if you want to discuss issues of security and stability that are responsible and important for the whole planet, then you need to do this only in a single complex, of course, including all those aspects that affect our national interests and directly affect the security of our country, the security of Russia.

We also understand that the West is trying to drag us into an arms race, thereby exhausting us, repeating the trick that they succeeded in the 80s with the Soviet Union. Let me remind you: in 1981-1988, the military expenditures of the USSR amounted to 13 percent of the gross national product.

Therefore, our task is to develop the military–industrial complex in such a way as to increase the scientific, technological, and industrial potential of the country. It is necessary to allocate resources as rationally as possible and build an effective economy of the Armed Forces, to achieve the maximum for every ruble of defense spending. It is important for us to increase the pace in solving social, demographic, infrastructural and other tasks and at the same time reach a qualitatively new level of equipment for the army and navy.

First of all, this concerns general-purpose forces, the principles of their organization, the supply of unmanned strike systems, air defense and electronic warfare systems, intelligence and communications, high-precision and other means of destruction to the troops.

It is seriously necessary to strengthen the groupings in the western strategic direction in order to neutralize the threats associated with the next expansion of NATO to the east, the involvement of Sweden and Finland in the alliance.

The West has provoked conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, and other regions of the world and continues to lie. Now, without any embarrassment, they declare that Russia allegedly intends to attack Europe. It's just that – you and I understand – they're talking nonsense. And at the same time, they themselves choose targets for strikes on our territory, choose the most effective means of destruction, as they think. They talked about the possibility of sending NATO military contingents to Ukraine.

But we remember the fate of those who once sent their contingents to the territory of our country. But now the consequences for possible interventionists will be much more tragic. They must eventually understand that we also have weapons – yes, they know about it, I just said – that can hit targets on their territory.

And all that they are coming up with now, which frightens the whole world, that all this really threatens a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons, which means the destruction of civilization – don't they understand this, or what? You know, these are people who have not gone through hardships – they have already forgotten what war is. We, even our current generation, went through such difficult trials during the fight against international terrorism in the Caucasus, and now – in the context of the conflict in Ukraine – the same thing is happening. And they think that for them it's all some kind of cartoons.

What can I say, indeed, Russophobia, like other ideology of racism, national superiority and exclusivity, blinds, deprives the mind. The actions of the United States and its satellites actually led to the dismantling of the European security system. This creates risks for everyone.

It is obvious that it is necessary to work on forming a new contour of equal and indivisible security in Eurasia in the foreseeable future. We are ready for a substantive conversation on this topic with all interested countries and associations. At the same time, I emphasize again (I think this is important for everyone today): without a sovereign, strong Russia, no lasting world order is possible.

We strive to unite the efforts of the global majority to respond to global challenges, including the rapid transformations of the world economy, trade, finance, and technology markets, when many former monopolies and stereotypes associated with them are collapsing.

So, already in 2028, the BRICS countries, taking into account the states that have recently become members of this association, will create about 37 percent of global GDP, while the indicator of the "Group of Seven" will fall below 28 percent. These figures are very convincing, because 10-15 years ago the situation was completely different. I have already said this publicly. The trends are like that, you know? Global trends, and there is no getting away from it, they are objective in nature.

Look, the share of the G7 in world GDP at purchasing power parity in 1992 was 45.7 percent, and the BRICS, even without taking into account the expansion (in 1992 there was no such organization, but the BRICS countries) was only 16.5, and in 2022 the G7 was already 30.3 percent, and the BRICS - 31.5 percent. By 2028, the situation will change even more towards the BRICS – it will be 36.6 percent, for the "seven" the forecast for 2028 is 27.8. There is no getting away from this, this is an objective reality, and it will be so, no matter what happens, including even in Ukraine.

Together with friendly states, we will continue to create efficient and secure logistics corridors, and build a new global financial architecture free from political interference on an advanced technological basis. Moreover, the West itself discredits its own currencies and banking system – they are sawing at the branch on which they have been sitting for decades.

We interact with our partners on the principles of equality and respect for each other's interests, and therefore new states are actively joining the work of the Eurasec, SCO, BRICS and other associations with the participation of Russia. We see great prospects in building a Large Eurasian Partnership in combining integration processes within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union and the initiative of the People's Republic of China "One Belt, One Road".

The Russia–ASEAN dialogue is developing positively. The real breakthrough was the Russia–Africa summits. The African continent is increasingly asserting its interests and the right to genuine sovereignty. We sincerely support all these aspirations.

Russia has long-standing, good relations with the Arab states. They represent an original civilization from North Africa to the Middle East, which is developing dynamically today. And we consider it important to look for new points of contact with our Arab friends and deepen the entire range of partnerships. We will do the same in the Latin American direction.

And I would like to ask the Government to increase funding for international programs in the field of promoting the Russian language and our multinational culture, first of all, of course, in the CIS, and in the world as a whole.

By the way, dear friends and colleagues, I am sure that many have visited the exhibition "Russia". People come here to see for themselves, to show children how rich and vast our Homeland is. The Year of the Family was launched at the Russia exhibition. The values of love, mutual support and trust are passed down in the family from generation to generation, as well as culture, traditions, history, and moral principles.

And of course, the main purpose of the family is the birth of children, the continuation of the human race, the upbringing of children, and therefore the continuation of our entire multinational people. We see what is happening in some countries where moral norms and family institutions are deliberately being destroyed, entire nations are being pushed towards extinction and degeneration, and we choose life. Russia has been and remains a stronghold of traditional values on which human civilization is built. Our choice is shared by most people in the world, including millions of citizens of Western countries.

Yes, today both Russia and many other countries are facing a decrease in the birth rate. Demographers claim that this challenge is associated with global social, economic, technological, cultural and value changes. Young people get an education, build a career, establish their way of life, and postpone the birth of children for later.

It is obvious that not only the economy and the quality of the social sphere affect demography and fertility, but also, to a great extent, the life guidelines that are laid down in the family, shaped by culture, education, and enlightenment. The work of all levels of government, civil society, and pastors of our traditional religions is important here.

Supporting families with children is our fundamental moral choice. A large family with many children should become the norm, the philosophy of society, the guideline of the entire state strategy. (Applause.) I join in your applause.

In the next six years, we must achieve a steady increase in the birth rate. To do this, we will make additional decisions in the system of upbringing and education, regional and economic development. Support and improving the quality of life of the family will be discussed in almost every section of the Message – be patient, it is just beginning. Everything that happened before is important, but now the most important thing begins.

I will start with one of the most acute problems – to put it mildly, low incomes, which are faced by large families, among others. In 2000, more than 42 million people were below the poverty line in Russia. Since then, the situation has really changed, changed dramatically. By the end of last year, the number of people below the poverty line fell to 13.5 million people. Of course, this is a lot. But we keep the solution of this problem in the area of constant attention.

A number of measures have been taken relatively recently. So, starting from January 1, 2023, a single monthly allowance was introduced for families with low incomes, and from the pregnancy of a woman until the child reaches the age of 17. Last year, more than 11 million people received this benefit.

We have seriously simplified the procedure for concluding a social contract. Large families also have priority here. Now an application for a social contract can be submitted through the portal "Public Services" with a minimum set of documents. We will expand the availability of this measure. This will require additional money – somewhere in the region of 100 billion rubles, but they are provided. In general, I will name these additional costs – they have all been worked out.

I will tell you about a number of specific initiatives right now.

First. In addition to federal programs, Russian regions are implementing their own measures to support families with children. First of all, I would like to thank my colleagues for this work and suggest that we additionally help the regions of the Federation where the birth rate is below the national average. This is especially important for Central Russia and the Northwest. In 2022, the total fertility rate in 39 regions was lower than the national average. By the end of 2030, we will send at least 75 billion rubles to such regions so that they can increase their family support programs. The funds will start coming in next year.

Second. Last year, over 110 million square meters of housing were built in Russia. This is 1.5 times more than the highest Soviet figure, which was achieved in 1987. Then 72.8 million square meters were built, and now 110.

More importantly, over the past six years, millions of Russian families have improved their living conditions, including more than 900,000 with the help of family mortgages. This program began with us in 2018, let me remind you. We constantly increased its accessibility: first, families with two or more children could use it, then families with one child. The family mortgage program is valid until July of this year. I propose to extend it until 2030, while maintaining the basic basic parameters. Special attention should be paid to families with children up to and including six years old, for them the preferential loan rate will remain the same – six percent.

And more. Now, at the birth of the third child, the state repays part of the mortgage loan for the family – 450 thousand rubles. I also propose to extend the validity of such a norm until 2030. This year, it will take almost 50 billion rubles for this, then more and more incrementally, but there is money for this.

In general, the task is to make housing under construction more affordable for families, so that the housing stock in the country is systematically updated.

The third. There are more than two million families in Russia with three or more children growing up. Such families are certainly our pride.

That's what I want to say. Look – these are real numbers. From 2018 to 2022, the number of large families in Russia increased by 26.8 percent, which is a good indicator.

A decree has been signed that establishes a single status of a large family throughout the country, which is what people have asked for. Its provisions must be filled with specific solutions at the federal and regional levels and, of course, depend on people's requests.

In families where there are many children growing up, there are a lot of worries, and parents should have more free funds to solve everyday problems. I propose to double the tax deduction for the second child to 2,800 rubles per month and up to six thousand rubles per month for the third and each subsequent child.

What does it mean? For example: a family with three children will keep 1300 rubles in their budget every month, while I also propose to increase the amount of annual income to which the deduction applies from 350 to 450 thousand rubles. Such a support measure should be provided automatically, without submitting applications.

And separately, about the maternity capital program. Now, at the birth of the first child, the family is entitled to a payment of 630 thousand rubles, and at the birth of the second child – another 202 thousand rubles. The amount of maternity capital is regularly indexed. The maternity capital program is valid until the beginning of 2026. I also propose to extend it at least until 2030.

Dear colleagues!

I would like to express my gratitude to charitable foundations, social non-profit organizations that help elderly and sick people, and disabled children. And they have done a lot to raise the issue of long-term care to the state level, because they have been raising these issues all the time.

I consider it necessary to increase the financing of this system from the federal budget, bring it to a single high standard and ensure maximum accessibility for those who most need such assistance, which is about half a million of our citizens.

By 2030, we need to make sure that 100 percent of citizens who need long-term care use and are provided with it.

Now the average life expectancy in Russia has exceeded 73 years. We are back to the level we were before the coronavirus pandemic. By 2030, life expectancy in Russia should be at least 78 years, and in the future, as we planned, we will reach the level of 80+.

Special attention should be paid to rural areas, regions where life expectancy is still lower than the average in Russia. The national project "Long and active Life" will be aimed at solving these tasks. At the same time, it is important that the duration of a healthy, active life increases, so that a person can devote his time to family, relatives, children, and grandchildren.

We will continue federal projects to combat cardiovascular, oncological diseases, as well as diabetes.

In addition, I propose to launch a new comprehensive program to protect motherhood, preserve the health of children and adolescents, including reproductive health, so that children are born and grow up healthy, and in the future they will have healthy children.

Among the priorities of such a program will be the expansion of the network of women's consultations, the modernization of perinatal centers, children's clinics and hospitals. In total, in the next six years, we will additionally allocate more than a trillion rubles for the construction, repair and equipping of healthcare facilities alone.

Further. In recent years, the number of citizens who regularly play sports has increased significantly. This is one of our significant achievements. It is necessary to encourage people who take responsibility for their health. Starting next year, we will provide tax deductions for all those who regularly undergo medical examinations on a planned basis, as well as successfully pass the TRP standards.

Do you remember the national slogan? Everyone remembers this joke: "Stop drinking – get up on skis!" This is the case, the moment has come. By the way, as for "drinking": here we have a noticeable, good result. In reality, without any extremism, we have significantly reduced the consumption of alcohol, and above all strong alcohol, and this, of course, affects the health of the nation.

I propose that at the expense of federal resources, at least 350 additional sports facilities be built annually in the regions, primarily in small towns and rural areas. These are universal complexes, and prefabricated playgrounds where children, adults, and whole families can practice. In addition, we will allocate about 65 billion rubles from the federal budget for these purposes over six years.

Conditions for sports should be in universities, colleges, schools and preschools. By the way, many of our kindergartens were opened back in Soviet times and need to be updated. Starting next year, we will begin a program of major repairs. People talk about it all the time.

As for schools, about 18.5 thousand buildings require major repairs here. By 2030, we will help the regions to completely close this accumulated problem, and in the future we will carry out repairs to schools already as planned. What has been done so far shows that we are on the right track. In general, we will allocate an additional 400 billion rubles for the overhaul of kindergartens and schools.

In addition, I propose that in the next six years we upgrade or open medical offices in schools where there is such a need, and there is such a need. Because now, in 2022-2023, out of 39 thousand schools (39440 schools in our country), only 65 percent have medical offices. There is something to work on.

Another very important topic. Many large cities are actively growing today. At the same time, the burden on the social sphere is also becoming greater. The number of students who study in the second shift is increasing, and in some schools even the third shift is being introduced. Of course, this is a problem that also needs to be solved. In those cities where the issue of overcrowding of educational institutions is most acute, we will have to solve this problem again at the expense of the federal budget, at the expense of federal resources, we will build an additional total of at least 150 schools and more than 100 kindergartens.

Dear colleagues! The dreams and achievements of our ancestors and older generations have become achievable, and we are proud of these achievements. And tomorrow's day of the country will be determined by the aspirations of the current, younger generation. His formation, his successes, and life guidelines that will pass any test of strength are the most important pledge and guarantee of Russia's sovereignty, the continuation of our history.

I propose to consolidate the positive experience in the field of youth policy, and this year launch a new national project – "Youth of Russia". It should be a project about the future and for the future of our country. This is how our school teachers understand their vocation, their high mission and responsibility for the younger generations. Thank you very much for your selfless work.

The role of mentors is great for the guys to feel like a united team, to find support in life. From September 1, 2024, I propose to introduce a federal payment of 5,000 rubles per month for all advisers to directors of education in schools and colleges, which was not the case before. And I propose separate solutions for school classroom teachers and curators of groups in colleges and technical schools who work in those localities that need special attention, namely such localities where less than 100 thousand people live, and these are, in fact, all our small towns, regional centers, towns, villages. So, starting from March 1, 2024, I propose to double the federal payment to such specialists for classroom management and group supervision to 10 thousand rubles.

The president is still talking. As soon as the text is published, I will add it.

 

[youlik]

What else would I like to add. In 2018, the May decrees established wage requirements for teachers and other public sector employees based on the average monthly income from work in a particular subject of the Federation. These provisions of the so-called May decrees must continue to be strictly implemented. At the same time, it is necessary to improve the wage system in the public sector, to achieve income growth for the specialists employed here.

The level of average salaries in the economy varies in the regions, which means that the incomes of public sector workers, even in neighboring regions of the Federation, sometimes differ markedly. At the same time, the work of a teacher or a doctor is equally difficult and extremely responsible everywhere. Such a large spread in salaries from region to region is unfair, of course.

I understand that the problem is long-standing, very complex, capital-intensive, if I may say so. We also discussed it with colleagues from federal agencies, regional leaders, teachers, doctors, and other specialists. Of course, it needs to be solved.

I'm not going to go into details right now, but it's really complicated. Both deputies and members of the Government understand what I am talking about. I just ask the Government to work out a new model of remuneration for public sector employees in 2025 as part of pilot projects in the regions of the Federation, and in 2026 to make a final decision for the whole country.

A separate issue is the creation of additional motivation for young professionals so that they come to work at school and see here a prospect for professional and career growth. At the same time, we will allocate more than 9 billion rubles from the federal budget to upgrade the infrastructure of pedagogical universities.

Our school education has always been famous for innovators, unique author's methods. It is precisely such teaching teams that will have to take part in the creation of promising schools. The construction of the first leadership-level educational schools will begin this year in the Ryazan, Pskov, Belgorod, Nizhny Novgorod and Novgorod regions. In the future, they will appear in all federal districts: in the Far East, Siberia, and Donbas. In total, we will open 12 such schools by 2030.

Now about the content of education. The educational load for children should be reasonable and balanced. And of course, it is clearly not good for the case when they teach one thing in lessons and ask another in exams. Such a discrepancy, to put it mildly, between school curricula and exam questions – and this happens, unfortunately – forces parents to hire tutors, and not everyone can afford it. I ask my colleagues from the Government, together with the pedagogical and parent communities, to deal with this problem, it is obvious.

In this regard, and about the unified state exam. It still causes a wide public discussion and controversy, we all know this well. Indeed, the USE mechanism should be improved.

What do I suggest at this stage? I propose to take another step in this direction – to give graduates, as they say, a second chance, namely: at the choice of the student himself, give him the opportunity to retake the Unified State Exam in one of the subjects and do this before the end of the admission campaign to universities in order to have time to submit documents already taking into account the retake. Such everyday things, but they are important to people.

Dear colleagues!

Last year, the Russian economy grew at a pace higher than the global one. According to this indicator, we are ahead not only of the leading countries of the European Union, but also of all the states of the so-called Big Seven. But what do I want to note in this regard? I want to point out this. The fundamental safety margin that has been made over the past decades has played a huge role in this.

Today, the share of non-primary industries in the growth structure confidently exceeds 90 percent, that is, the economy is becoming more complex, technologically advanced, and therefore much more stable. Today, Russia is the largest economy in Europe in terms of gross domestic product, purchasing power parity, and the fifth in the world.

The pace and, most importantly, the quality of growth allow us to hope and even assert that in the near future we will be able to take another step forward: we will become one of the four largest economic powers in the world. Such development should be directly converted into an increase in the incomes of our citizens' families.

In the next six years, the share of salaries in the country's runway should increase. Ahead of inflation and the growth rate of the average salary in the economy, we index the minimum wage. Starting in 2020, the minimum wage has increased by one and a half times – from 12 to 19 thousand rubles per month. By 2030, the minimum wage should almost double to 35 thousand, which, of course, will affect the amount of social benefits, salaries in the public sector and in economic sectors.

At the same time, we understand what risks and factors can lead to a slowdown in economic growth and our development as a whole. First of all, this is a shortage of qualified personnel and our own advanced technologies – their absence in some areas. We need to work ahead of the curve here, so today I will focus in detail on these two strategically important topics.

I'll start with the personnel base. A large young generation is growing in Russia. Strangely enough, there are demographic problems with population growth, and there is a large younger generation. In 2030, there will be 8.3 million citizens aged 20-24 in the country, and in 2035 there will be 9.7 million, 2.4 million more than now. And this, of course, is the result, including demographic measures of previous years.

It is important for us that these guys, today's teenagers, become professionals in their field, ready to work in the economy of the 21st century. We will send a new national project "Cadres" to this end.

Of course, we talk a lot about this, but we need to actually strengthen the link between all levels of education from school to university. They should work in a single logic, for a common result. Of course, the participation of future employers is important here. Since the current academic year, a career guidance system has been deployed in all schools of the country. Starting from the 6th grade, children can get acquainted with different specialties.

I am now addressing the heads of enterprises, scientific and medical centers: please invite schoolchildren to your place, let the guys look at the workshops, as I was offered in one of my trips, museums, laboratories. Please, be sure to get involved in this work.

Based on the principles of close cooperation between education and real sector enterprises, we are implementing the Professionalism project. It made it possible to update educational programs for aviation and shipbuilding, pharmaceuticals, electronics, defense and other industries.

About a million specialists in working professions will have to be trained for these areas by 2028. We must extend such approaches to the entire system of secondary vocational education, including training for schools, hospitals, polyclinics, services, tourism, cultural institutions, and creative industries.

Separately, I instruct the Government, together with the regions, to implement a program for the repair and equipping of secondary vocational education institutions. It is necessary to put in order not only educational buildings, but also sports facilities, dormitories of technical schools and colleges. Over six years, we will allocate 120 billion rubles from the federal budget for these purposes.

We will also allocate an additional 124 billion rubles and in the next six years we will carry out major repairs of about 800 dormitories of universities and universities.

Now, in general, about higher education. The task is to develop science and education centers throughout the country. To do this, we will build 25 university campuses by 2030. We have already talked about this, but now I think it is necessary to say once again: in this regard, I propose to expand this program and build at least 40 such campuses in total.

We will have to allocate about 400 billion rubles from the federal budget for these purposes, naturally, providing all conditions on campuses so that students, graduate students, teachers, young families can study, work and raise children.

In general, it is necessary to literally sort out all the life situations faced by young mothers and young parents, and with this in mind, set up the work of the public services system, the social sphere, healthcare, urban and rural infrastructure. I ask the Government and the regions to work through all these issues carefully.

Further. In a Message last year, he announced significant changes in the organization of higher education, the need to use the best domestic experience here. The professional foundations of a future specialist are laid in the first courses, where fundamental disciplines are taught. I consider it necessary to increase the level of remuneration for teachers of such subjects. I ask the Government to propose specific parameters for this solution and begin their implementation as early as September 1 in a pilot mode.

Additional resources will be required: according to preliminary estimates, this year it will be about 1.5 billion, then 4.5 billion. This money has also been counted.

It is important for us to increase the potential and quality of the entire higher school, to support universities that strive for development. This is what our Priority 2030 program is aimed at. Its financing is calculated until the end of this year. Of course, I propose to extend it for another six years and allocate an additional 190 billion rubles.

The criteria for the effectiveness of participating universities should be personnel and technological projects with regions, sectors of the economy and the social sphere, the creation of really working innovative companies and startups, and the attraction of foreign students. Of course, we will evaluate the work of all universities, universities in Russia, colleges, and technical schools based on how much their graduates are in demand and how their salaries are growing.

Dear friends!

Now a few words about the technological base of development. Here, the basis of the basics is science, of course. At a meeting with scientists and staff of the Russian Academy of Sciences, which celebrated its 300th anniversary this year, he said that even in the most difficult periods, Russia has never refused to solve fundamental problems, always thought about the future, and now we must do the same. Actually, that's what we're trying to do.

For example, no other country in the world has such a range of scientific installations of the megascience class as Russia has today. These are unique opportunities for our scientists, as well as for partners, researchers from other countries, whom we invite to cooperate.

The domestic scientific infrastructure is our powerful competitive advantage both in the field of basic science and in creating reserves for pharmaceuticals, biology, medicine, microelectronics, chemical industry and the production of new materials, for the development of space programs.

I believe that we must more than double the total investments of the state and business in research and development, bring their share to two percent of GDP by 2030 and, according to this indicator, become one of the leading scientific powers in the world.

I want to repeat once again: at the same time, investments in science from private business should significantly increase – at least twice by 2030. Of course, the main thing is the effectiveness of such investments. It is about achieving a specific scientific result in each specific case. Here we need to use the positive experience of our federal research programs on genetics, agriculture, and projects of the Russian Science Foundation.

Taking into account the current tasks and challenges, we have adjusted the Strategy of scientific and technological development of Russia. In its logic, we are launching new national projects of technological sovereignty. I will name their main directions.

First. We must be independent and have all the technological keys in such sensitive areas as preserving the health of citizens and food security.

Second. It is necessary to achieve technological sovereignty in cross-cutting areas that ensure the sustainability of the entire economy of the country. These are means of production and machine tools, robotics, all types of transport, unmanned aviation, marine and other systems, data economics, new materials and chemistry.

The third. We must create globally competitive products based on unique domestic developments, including in the field of space, nuclear and new energy technologies. It is already necessary to create a legal environment for the development of industries and markets of the future, to form a long-term order for high-tech products, at least until the end of this decade, so that companies understand what rules they should work by.

It is also necessary to establish internal cooperation chains and international technology platforms, launch serial production of its own equipment and components, and focus exploration on the search for rare earth materials and other raw materials for the new economy. We have it all.

I would like to emphasize that we are talking about our strategic reserve for the future, so we will set up all the development tools and mechanisms available to us to solve these tasks, and we will ensure priority budget financing. I ask the Government and the Federal Assembly to take this into account when preparing the budget. I always ask you to see this as a top priority.

Technological sovereignty projects should become the engine for the renewal of our industry, help the entire economy to reach the advanced level of efficiency and competitiveness. I propose to set a goal here: the share of domestic high–tech goods and services in the domestic market over the next six years should increase by one and a half times, and the volume of non-primary, non-energy exports - by at least two thirds.

I will give you some more figures. In 1999, our share of imports reached 26 percent of GDP – we imported almost 30 percent of everything from abroad. Last year, it already amounted to 19 percent of GDP, or 32 trillion rubles. And in the period up to 2030, it is necessary to reach the level of imports of no more than 17 percent of GDP.

This means that we must produce consumer and other goods ourselves in much larger volumes: medicines, equipment, machine tools, vehicles, and so on. All of us cannot – we do not need to strive to produce everything. But the Government knows what needs to be worked on.

I would like to emphasize that, given the demographic challenges we are facing, the high demand, and, to put it bluntly, the shortage of personnel, it is critically important for us to radically increase labor productivity – this is one of the key tasks.

And this means the introduction of digital technologies into management, the growth of energy and resource-efficient economic proposals and the implementation of such proposals, the end-to-end modernization of industrial capacities, their robotization and automation. By 2030, Russia should be among the top 25 countries in the world in terms of the number of industrial robots. You know, if we keep in mind what we have today, it will be a good result.

We will continue to create special industry competence centers where the best practices of careful production in the economy and social sphere will be generalized and replicated. By 2030, at least 40 percent of medium-sized and large enterprises in the basic and raw materials sectors of the economy, and all social institutions need to be covered by projects to increase labor productivity. This is a common, huge, but very important job.

In addition, advanced engineering schools, which are being created on the basis of universities, should be aimed at increasing efficiency and re-equipping production facilities. Our goal was to create 50 such schools. 30 of them have already been created, and 20 more are being launched this year.

I propose to expand this program to 50 more engineering schools. That is, in total, to deploy a network across the country – a network of 100 such centers that will train highly qualified specialists and offer original technical solutions, and in a variety of fields: industry, agriculture, construction, transport, and the social sphere.

Of course, it is always necessary to use artificial intelligence in each of these areas – to strive for this. It is also necessary to modernize the network of scientific and technical libraries in universities and scientific organizations, to make them real digital centers of knowledge and information. We will allocate an additional 9 billion rubles for these purposes.

Dear colleagues! In recent years, hundreds of new plants, factories and production facilities have been opened in Russia. They are opening, opening, we are already used to it. This is an ongoing job. But among them are such industrial giants as the Udokan Mining and Metallurgical Plant in Transbaikalia, the Taishet Aluminum Plant in the Irkutsk region, the Murmansk Center for the Construction of large-capacity offshore structures, ZapSibNeftekhim in the Tyumen region. This list, of course, can be continued.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that in the next six years the level of gross value added of the Russian manufacturing industry should increase by at least 40 percent compared to 2022. Such accelerated industrial development means the creation of thousands of new industries, modern, well-paid jobs.

We have already formed a kind of industrial "menu". Companies implementing industrial projects can choose the best support measures, agreements on the protection and promotion of investments, special investment contracts, a cluster investment platform, and so on. Quite a lot of tools have been invented and are being used. We will definitely develop all these mechanisms.

So, over six years, we will additionally allocate 120 billion rubles for subsidies to companies for R&D, as well as for the expansion of industrial mortgages. And due to this program, we will additionally build and modernize more than 10 million square meters of production space. I just want to point out for comparison. By the way, this is a plus to the pace that we have already gained.

Here, for comparison. Today, Russia annually costs about 4 million square meters of production space. This is a significant indicator of the renewal of our industrial potential, and we will make an additional 10 million, as I said.

Further. We will replenish the Industrial Development Fund by 300 billion rubles. We will almost double its capital and aim to support high-tech projects. We will additionally allocate at least 200 billion more within the framework of the cluster investment platform to subsidize interest rates for projects for the production of priority industrial products. In order to stimulate the renewal of production capacities of manufacturing enterprises, I propose to increase the base for calculating depreciation for them. It will amount to 200 percent of the cost of Russian equipment and research and development. It's kind of a boring substance, but I'll explain what it's about. If a company purchases domestic machines for 10 million rubles, it will be able to reduce the tax base by 20 million. This is a serious support.

We will continue the development of industrial technology parks with an emphasis on the placement of small and medium-sized businesses according to our technological priorities. It is important to take advantage of the cluster approach here, when companies grow together with their subcontractors and suppliers, and their cooperation gives a mutually beneficial effect for everyone. I would like to draw the Government's attention to the need to create at least 100 more such sites by 2030. They should form growth points throughout the country and stimulate investment.

We set a goal: by 2030, the volume of investments in key industries should add 70 percent. By the way, we have a good dynamic here. I would even like to say that it is very good. Good.

The cumulative investment growth rate in 2021 was 8.6 percent, and the plan was 4.5. In 2022, it was 15.9 percent with a plan of 9.5. And in the nine months of last year, with a plan for a year of 15.1 percent, the increase was 26.6 percent. We must continue to move at a faster pace.

Our banking system and the stock market must fully ensure the inflow of capital into the economy and its real sector, including through the mechanisms of project and equity financing. In the next two years, industrial projects with investments of more than 200 billion rubles will be supported using equity funds. The meaning of such a mechanism is that the Development Corporation "VEB.The Russian Federation, with the participation of commercial banks, is part of the capital of high-tech companies, provides assistance in the phase of their active growth.

I have already instructed to launch a special regime for initial public offerings of shares of companies that work in priority high-tech areas. I would like to draw the attention of colleagues in both the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank: it is necessary to accelerate the launch of this mechanism, including compensation for the cost of placing securities. You have to do it eventually.

I repeat: the Russian stock market needs to strengthen its role as a source of investment. Its capitalization should double by 2030 compared to the current level and amount to 66 percent of GDP. At the same time, it is important that citizens have the opportunity to reliably invest their savings in the development of the country and receive additional income at the same time.

A decision has already been made: voluntary savings in non-state pension funds in the amount of up to 2 million 8 thousand rubles will be insured by the state, that is, their return is guaranteed.

In addition, long-term individual and investment accounts worth up to 1.4 million rubles will be insured. We will extend a single tax deduction to investments of citizens in long-term financial instruments in the amount of up to 400 thousand rubles per year.

At the same time, I consider it necessary to launch a new tool – the so-called savings certificate. Citizens will be able to place their savings in banks for a long time – more than three years. The certificate will be irrevocable, which means that banks will be able to offer customers a higher profitable interest income. Of course, these funds of citizens will also be insured by the state in the amount of up to 2.8 million rubles, that is, twice as much as for ordinary deposits in banks.

I would like to emphasize that all measures of state support for investments, the creation and modernization of enterprises should be linked to an increase in employee salaries, with improved working conditions and social packages for employees.

Of course, there is a fundamental requirement: domestic business must operate in the Russian jurisdiction, not withdraw funds abroad, where, as it turned out, you can lose everything. And now my business colleagues and I are meeting and thinking about how we can help them get something out of there. We don't need to take them there, and then we won't solve the issues of how to return them.

It is necessary to invest resources in Russia, in the regions, in the development of companies, in personnel training. The most reliable protection of assets and capital of Russian business is our strong, sovereign country.

The absolute majority of entrepreneurs stand on domestic, patriotic positions. And the business that operates here in Russia must have guarantees of the inviolability of property, assets and its new investments. Investments here and protection of investments, protection of the rights of entrepreneurs are interrelated, of course, and we must ensure this. This is in the interests of the state, the whole society, and in the interests of millions of people who work in the field of private business, large, medium, and small.

I have always said and I will say it again: no one – neither government officials nor law enforcement officers – is allowed to harass people, break the law or use it for selfish purposes. It is necessary to help people, including those from the business environment – and now I am talking about them -. They create jobs, provide slaves, and pay people salaries. This is the vocation of the authorities – to help.

Dear colleagues!

Small and medium-sized businesses are making an increasingly significant contribution to economic growth. Today, its share in industries such as manufacturing, tourism, and IT exceeds 21 percent. Hundreds of new domestic brands have vividly declared themselves. Last year, 1 million 200 thousand new companies in the field of small and medium-sized businesses were registered in Russia.

I pay attention: This is the highest figure in the last five years. People strive to start their own business, believe in themselves, in their country and in their success. I would like to emphasize that in 2023, the number of young entrepreneurs under the age of 25 increased by 20 percent. Today there are more than 240 thousand of them.

Such creative energy must be supported so that the average income per employee employed in the field of small and medium-sized businesses grows faster than the rate of GDP growth in the next six years. That is, the efficiency of such a business and its quality indicators should increase.

I have already said that there should not be a situation where it is actually unprofitable for companies to gain momentum, because tax payments increase sharply when switching from a simplified to a general tax regime. It turns out that the government is pushing business to fragmentation – to other ways of so-called optimization of the fiscal burden.

I ask the Government, together with parliamentarians, to work out the parameters of an amnesty for small companies that, with the actual growth of business, were forced to use tax optimization schemes.

What is important here? Such companies should, of course, abandon the artificial, in fact feigned, fragmentation of business – move to normal, civilized work "in the white." At the same time, I emphasize: there will be no fines, no sanctions, no recalculation of taxes for previous periods. This is the meaning of the amnesty.

In addition, starting next year, I instruct the Government to provide a mechanism not for a sharp, but for a smooth increase in the tax burden for companies that switch from "simplified taxation" to the general taxation procedure.

Further. We have made such a decision as temporary moratoriums on inspections. This measure has fully justified itself. Companies that guarantee high quality of goods and services, are responsible to consumers, can and should really be trusted.

Therefore, I consider it possible from January 1, 2025 to abandon temporary moratoriums on business inspections and instead – taking into account the experience gained – completely switch to a risk-based approach, fixing it legislatively. Where there are no risks, preventive measures should be applied and, thus, the number of inspections should be minimized.

And more. I propose to grant a small business a special right – once every five years to take credit holidays for up to six months without deterioration of credit history.

I repeat: we need to create all conditions for small and medium-sized companies to develop dynamically, and the quality of this growth is increased due to high-tech areas of production business. In general, the tax regime for manufacturing enterprises of small and medium-sized businesses should be relaxed.

I ask the Government to provide specific proposals in this regard. We've talked about this many times. Please, the proposals are already ripe, in fact.

I would like to highlight the work of small and medium-sized businesses in rural areas and in the agro-industrial complex. Now we are not only fully self-sufficient in food. Russia is a leader in the global wheat market. We are among the top twenty food exporting countries. I thank the agricultural workers, farmers, and specialists involved in agriculture in general – thank you for the impressive results.

By 2030, the volume of production of the Russian agro-industrial complex should still grow by at least a quarter compared to 2021, and exports will increase by one and a half times. We will definitely continue to support the industry, as well as the comprehensive rural development program, including the renovation and modernization of post offices.

We use a special solution for the development of coastal regions. Let me remind you: we have a "keel quota" rule. It must be strictly carried out. As some of those present here know, we are talking about the fact that companies receive quotas for seafood production under the obligation to purchase new Russian-made fishing vessels and update the fleet.

At the same time, this year the federal budget received substantial money from the sale of seafood quotas – about 200 billion rubles. Anton Germanovich [Siluanov] is here, we have agreed with him – I propose that part of these funds be directed specifically to the social development of municipalities, which are the base of our fishing industry.

Dear colleagues!

In modern conditions, increasing the efficiency of all areas of labor productivity is inextricably linked with digitalization, with the use of artificial intelligence technologies – I have already mentioned this. Such solutions make it possible to create digital platforms that allow for optimal interaction between citizens, business and the state.

So, it is necessary to create a platform that will help a citizen maintain and maintain health throughout his life, and use the potential of the entire healthcare system. For example, based on the data of the digital profile, he will be able to receive a remote opinion from a specialist of the federal medical center, and a doctor, a family doctor, will be able to assess exactly the holistic picture of human health, predict the occurrence of diseases, prevent complications, choose an individual and therefore the most effective treatment tactics.

All I'm talking about is not some kind of speculation about the distant future. Such practices are already being implemented in the work of leading medical centers. The task is to distribute them throughout the country, to make them mass-produced and accessible.

I believe that by 2030 it is necessary to create digital platforms in all key sectors of the economy and the social sphere. These and other complex tasks will be solved within the framework of the new national project "Data Economy". We will allocate at least 700 billion rubles for its implementation in the next six years.

For the state, such technologies and integrated platforms open up huge opportunities for planning and economic development of individual industries, regions and cities, for effective management of our programs and national projects. Most importantly, we will be able to continue to build the work of all levels of government around the interests of each person, each family, to provide state and municipal services to citizens and businesses proactively, in a convenient format with the fastest possible result.

By the way, Russia is already one of the world leaders in the introduction of public services in electronic form. Many, including European countries, have yet to reach our level. But we certainly should not and are not going to stand still.

Artificial intelligence algorithms are an important element of digital platforms. Here we also need to be self-sufficient and competitive. A decree has already been signed approving the updated version of the National Strategy for the Development of Artificial Intelligence. It sets new goals, including ensuring technological sovereignty in such revolutionary areas as generative artificial intelligence and large language models. Their implementation promises a real breakthrough in the economy and social sphere, it should be a real breakthrough. To do this, we need to increase our computing resources. Thus, by 2030, the total capacity of domestic supercomputers should be increased by at least 10 times. This is an absolutely realistic task.

In general, it is necessary to develop the entire infrastructure of the data economy. I am asking the Government to propose specific measures to support companies and startups that produce data storage and processing equipment, as well as create software. It is necessary that the growth rate of investments in domestic IT solutions be at least twice the growth rate of the economy. Conditions for the use of digital systems should be not only in megacities, but also in small towns, rural areas and remote areas, along federal and regional highways, local roads. To do this, it is necessary to provide access to high-speed Internet in almost the entire territory of Russia already in the horizon of the current decade. We will solve this problem, among other things, by multiplying our satellite constellation. We will allocate 116 billion rubles for its development.

Dear colleagues!

Now I would like to focus on regional development issues separately. What is offered? First of all, it is necessary to reduce the debt burden of the subjects of the Russian Federation. I consider it necessary to write off two thirds of the regions' debt on budget loans. According to estimates, this will allow them to save about 200 billion rubles annually from 2025 to 2028.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that these saved funds should be, as they say, "colored" and targeted by the regions to support investments and infrastructure projects. Dear colleagues, I would like to draw your attention to this.

Further. In 2021, we launched a program of infrastructure budget loans in the amount of 500 billion rubles, then expanded it to 1 trillion. Let me remind you that such loans are provided to the region at 3 percent per annum for up to 15 years. A great tool for development. These funds are allocated for development projects, and the regions note the high efficiency of such a mechanism. These loans are not being written off, but this year the subjects of the Federation will begin to repay these debts. And I propose that the funds that are returned to the federal budget be invested again in the development of the regions, directed to the issuance of new infrastructure budget loans, and in general, starting in 2025, we will increase the portfolio of infrastructure loans to the subjects of the Federation by at least 250 billion rubles annually.

I also think that the regions should be given greater opportunities to manage funds within the framework of achieving the goals of national projects.

I'll give you a specific example. The subject of the Federation is modernizing, say, a polyclinic, and has carried out high-quality repairs. If at the same time there are funds left, they can not be returned to the federal budget, but sent, say, to purchase equipment for a renovated polyclinic and so on.

And, of course, we will support those regions of the Federation that have the potential for development, but we need to help unlock it, launch projects in the real sector of the economy and infrastructure that will become drivers in these territories.

Currently, 10 federal subjects with low budget provision are implementing individual socio-economic development programs. I ask the Government to extend these programs for another 6 years.

By 2030, all our regions should become more economically self-sufficient. I repeat, this is a matter of justice, equal conditions for the self-realization of citizens and high standards of living throughout the country.

Dear colleagues!

As you can see, the plans are big, the expenses are too. There will be large-scale investments in the social sphere, demography, economy, science, technology, and infrastructure.

In this regard, I want to talk about the tax system. Of course, it should ensure the flow of resources for solving national tasks, as well as for the implementation of regional programs, it is designed to reduce inequality, not only in society, but also in the socio-economic development of the subjects of the Federation; take into account the income level of citizens and companies.

I propose to think over approaches to modernizing our fiscal system, to a more equitable distribution of the tax burden towards those with higher personal and corporate incomes.

On the contrary, it is necessary to reduce the tax burden on families, including through deductions, which I have already mentioned today. To stimulate businesses that invest in development, in the implementation of infrastructure and social projects. At the same time, it is necessary, of course, to close all sorts of loopholes that are used by some companies to avoid taxes or underestimate their tax payments. I ask the State Duma and the Government to submit a specific set of proposals in this regard in the near future. And in the future, taking into account the adopted changes, I propose to fix the main tax parameters until 2030 and thereby ensure stable and predictable conditions for the implementation of any, including long-term investment projects. This is exactly what the business is asking for in the course of our direct contacts.

Dear colleagues!

Decisions in the field of financial support for regions, economic growth, should work to improve the quality of life of people, and in all regions of the Federation. We have already extended special development programs for regions such as the North Caucasus and Kaliningrad Region, Donbass and Novorossiya, Crimea and Sevastopol, the Arctic and the Far East until 2030. Master development plans have been prepared for 22 Far Eastern cities and agglomerations, and the same work is underway for settlements in the Arctic.

Now we have to take the next step. I propose to define a list of more than 200 large and small cities. A master plan should be developed and implemented for each of them, and in general, the development program should cover about 2 thousand settlements, including villages and towns. Solutions to support the constituent entities of the Federation, which I mentioned today, including infrastructure loans, should also work here.

I would like to address the heads of the regions. These resources should be used, among other things, to expand the capabilities of municipalities. Yes, I remember meeting with the heads of some municipalities at their forum here in Moscow. The local government has a special role and responsibility. This is where people and citizens come with their daily needs. I would like to thank our mayors, district heads, and deputies for your work and attention to people's needs. And I would like to mention separately the employees of municipalities who work in the immediate vicinity of the combat zone and share all the trials with their fellow countrymen.

The co-authors of the plans for the development of cities and towns should be their residents. It is necessary to actively use mechanisms when citizens themselves determine which facilities and problems need to be allocated money in the first place. I propose to increase the co-financing of such, in fact, popular projects from the federal and regional budgets.

We will also extend the All-Russian competition for the best projects for creating a comfortable urban environment in small towns and historical settlements until 2030.

In general, we will improve more than 30 thousand public spaces in Russia in six years. I also ask the Government to provide additional support to the regions that are reconstructing embankments, parks, squares and historical city centers. We will allocate 360 billion rubles for landscaping and major projects in this area.

Ancient buildings, manors, temples are the visible embodiment of our national identity, the inextricable link between generations. I ask the Government, parliamentarians, relevant commissions of the State Council with the participation of the public, of course, to analyze the regulatory framework in the field of protection and use of cultural heritage sites. It is necessary to eliminate obviously excessive, contradictory requirements, because of which sometimes the monument is destroyed in front of our eyes, and formally, according to the law, it is impossible to take prompt measures to save it.

I propose to form a long-term program for the preservation of cultural heritage sites in Russia. I expect that we will accept her for 20 years. It is necessary to provide measures to support citizens, companies, and public associations who are ready to invest their labor, time and money in the restoration of monuments.

We will test such mechanisms this year in the pilot project of the Development Institute "DOM.RF". Five regions will take part in it: Transbaikalia, Novgorod, Ryazan, Smolensk and Tver regions. And by 2030, at least a thousand cultural heritage sites across the country should be put in order, given a second life so that they serve people and decorate our cities and villages.

It's not over yet.

 

[youlik]

We will definitely continue fundamental projects in the field of culture and keep their financing. We will update the infrastructure of museums, theaters, libraries, clubs, art schools, cinemas. Over six years, we will additionally allocate more than 100 billion rubles for educational, historical and other popular creative projects in cinema, on the Internet, and on social networks.

I also propose to expand the Pushkin Map program, through which schoolchildren and young people can visit cinemas, museums, theaters and exhibitions for free, and cultural institutions themselves receive an incentive to develop and launch new projects, including with the participation of business. I ask the Government to prepare its additional proposals.

In addition, by analogy with the programs "Zemsky Teacher" and "Zemsky Doctor", we will launch the program "Zemsky Cultural Worker" from 2025. People talk about it all the time in meetings. A specialist who moves to work in a village, in a small town, will be able to receive a one–time payment of 1 million rubles, and in the Far East, in Donbass and Novorossiya this amount will be twice as high - 2 million rubles.

Another additional decision that needs to be finalized and adopted. I ask the Government to provide special conditions for family mortgages specifically for small towns, as well as for those regions where new apartment buildings are being built in a small volume or there are none at all. We need to do this as quickly as possible, resolve the issue of key parameters, including the amount of the initial payment and the loan rate. I ask you to keep this in mind, and I will be waiting for suggestions from you.

Further. We will also continue special mortgage programs with a 2 percent rate for residents of the Far East and the Arctic, Donbass and Novorossiya. Participants and veterans of a special military operation will be able to receive a loan on the same preferential terms in these regions.

Separately, we will support projects for the integrated development of territories for building, the construction of residential quarters with all the infrastructure in regions with an insufficient level of socio-economic development, where many of our usual proposals do not work. For these territories, we will allocate an additional 120 billion rubles for these purposes.

In this regard, the following system task. With federal support, many regions have significantly increased the pace of resettlement of emergency housing. In total, 1 million 730 thousand people have moved into new apartments over the past 16 years. In the next six years, it is important not to reduce such dynamics. I ask the Government to prepare and launch a new program for the resettlement of emergency housing.

As for housing and communal services systems, we will increase the pace of modernization of communal infrastructure. In total, 4.5 trillion rubles, including private companies, will be allocated for these purposes by 2030.

We will continue the implementation of our Clean Water project. For many of our cities and rural settlements, this problem is extremely urgent. First of all, we are talking about a reliable supply of high-quality drinking water.

A separate topic is gasification. There are plans to provide this eco-friendly fuel to cities and districts of Yakutia, Buryatia, Khabarovsk, Primorsky, Trans-Baikal Territories, Murmansk and Amur Regions, the Jewish Autonomous Region, Karelia, and such a large Russian city as Krasnoyarsk. We are also using LNG to gasify the Kamchatka Territory and some other areas.

Naturally, this will provide an opportunity to expand the social gasification program. Thanks to her, gas has already been supplied free of charge to the borders of 1 million 100 thousand sites. Applications are being accepted, while we are helping privileged categories of citizens, including families of participants in a special military operation, with carrying out gas communications inside the site.

What I would like to say separately now. Horticultural associations are located within the borders of many settlements where mains gas has already been carried out. People have been tending their land plots for years, sometimes from generation to generation, and now they are building houses there in which they can live all year round, but they cannot connect to the networks because garden associations do not fall into the "Social Gasification" program.

The problem affects millions of families! Of course, it needs to be solved, and solved in the interests of our citizens, namely, to expand the social gasification program and continue the network to the boundaries of the plots with the house of horticultural associations.

Residents of remote northern and Far Eastern territories, where there will be no grid gas in the coming years, will also receive support. Today they pay for their houses with coal or firewood. Now, with the help of subsidies from the state, they will be able to purchase modern eco-friendly equipment, and of domestic production. First of all, the most needy families should receive support. We will also allocate an additional 32 billion rubles for these purposes.

Taking into account modern environmental standards, we will develop public transport and reduce its age. By 2030, the subjects of the Federation will additionally receive about 40 thousand buses, trolleybuses, trams, and electric buses. Additionally, we will provide 150 billion rubles from the federal budget for this public transport renewal program.

We will also upgrade the fleet of school buses at a pace of at least 3 thousand cars per year, which is especially important for small towns and rural areas. Residents, heads of municipalities and regions speak about this. Indeed, it is a very important program. Therefore, we will allocate an additional 66 billion rubles for the purchase of school buses. And of course, it must be equipment manufactured in Russia, completely or with a high degree of localization.

As you know, within the framework of the Clean Air project in 12 industrial centers of Russia, it was possible to reduce harmful emissions into the atmosphere. Since last year, 29 more cities have joined the project. In the whole country, the volume of harmful emissions into the atmosphere should be halved. We will move towards this goal in stages. To assess the results, we will create a comprehensive environmental quality monitoring system.

Over the past 5 years, thousands of kilometers of rivers and coasts have been cleaned, and dirty drains into the Volga have been reduced by almost half. Now I propose to set a goal – to halve the pollution of Russia's main water bodies.

Over the past 5 years, 128 large landfills in cities and 80 objects of accumulated environmental damage have been eliminated, which literally poisoned people's lives in 53 regions of Russia. The territories of the Krasny Bor landfill, the Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill and the Usolye-Sibirsky landfill have been put in a safe state.

In this regard, dear colleagues, I would like to emphasize. So far, only the most urgent measures have been carried out at these facilities, but this is far from all. It is also by no means possible to leave them in such a state as they are now. We need to complete this work and create all the necessary infrastructure here.

In general, we will continue to eliminate the most dangerous objects of accumulated environmental damage throughout Russia. At least 50 such high environmental risk points should be eliminated in the next 6 years.

It is necessary to create incentives for business and introduce green technologies, switch to a closed-loop economy. Moreover, we have, in fact, created a modern waste management industry from scratch. 250 enterprises have been built for their processing and disposal. The task by 2030 is to sort everything that needs to be sorted, all solid waste and at least a quarter of it to be recycled. We will allocate additional financial resources for such projects, build together with the business about 400 more waste management facilities and eight eco-industrial parks.

What else do I want to say. During meetings with citizens in the Far East, Siberia, and other regions, the topic of saving our forest resources was repeatedly raised, that it is necessary to restore order with illegal logging, with the protection of forests. This topic really has a huge public response. It is important for almost every person, we are here, as they say, joining forces with the whole world, and the situation is gradually changing.

A very important milestone: starting in 2021, more forests are being restored in Russia than are being cut down. I want to thank the volunteers, schoolchildren, students, all citizens who planted trees, participated in environmental actions, and, of course, business representatives for supporting such projects for this result. We will definitely continue the restoration of forests, parks, and gardens, including around agglomerations and industrial centers.

In a separate decision, I propose to raise the salaries of specialists who work in forestry, meteorology, and environmental protection, that is, they deal with the most important issues of environmental well-being. I must honestly say that the issues they solve are very important, and their incomes are very modest.

In order to support civil initiatives in the field of environmental protection, I consider it necessary to establish a fund for environmental and environmental projects. To begin with, the total amount of its grants will amount to 1 billion rubles per year.

Work will continue on the conservation of specially protected natural areas, protection and restoration of rare and endangered species of plants and animals. In this regard, I suggest thinking about opening a network of rehabilitation centers for injured and confiscated wild animals.

By 2030, we will create an eco-tourism infrastructure in all national parks of the country, including eco-trails and hiking trails, including weekend routes for schoolchildren, recreation areas, museums and visitor centers.

Modern, safe infrastructure will appear near water bodies, including on Lake Baikal. A year-round resort will open here until 2030. At the same time, I consider it important to strictly adhere to the principle of "zero pollution", that is, the complete absence of waste and untreated wastewater into the lake. The construction of the Baikal resort will be part of a major project "Five Seas".

Modern hotel complexes will also appear on the coasts of the Caspian, Baltic, Azov, Black and Japanese Seas. This project alone will increase the domestic tourist flow by another 10 million people per year.

And in the whole country, taking into account the dynamic development of such tourist centers as Altai, Kamchatka, Kuzbass, the North Caucasus, Karelia, the Russian North, the tourist flow should almost double to 140 million people per year by 2030. At the same time, the contribution of tourism to Russia's GDP will also double to five percent. We will work out additional solutions in this regard in the near future.

The development of tourism and the region as a whole is provided by the transport infrastructure. High–speed automobile traffic has already opened between Moscow and Kazan, this year we will extend the highway to Yekaterinburg, and next year to Tyumen. In the future, a modern and safe route will run through the whole country to Vladivostok.

Also, in six years, more than 50 city bypasses should be built in Russia. A new significant road project is, of course, the construction of the Dzhubga – Sochi highway. It will reduce the travel time from the M-4 Don highway to Sochi by four times – up to one and a half hours – and, moreover, will allow the Black Sea coast to actively develop.

But I want to say right away – we have agreed with the Government, and I want to say this publicly too – this is, of course, a complex and very capital-intensive project: there are solid tunnels and bridges, an expensive project. Nevertheless, I ask the Government to provide a scheme for its financing. Work it out.

We have already put federal highways and almost 85 percent of roads in large agglomerations in order. It is necessary to strictly maintain this level. At the same time, in the coming years, we will place special emphasis on the development of regional roads.

Air travel should become more affordable. It is necessary to increase the so-called aviation mobility of citizens, by 2030 the intensity of air traffic in Russia should increase by one and a half times the level of last year.

To do this, we plan to accelerate the development of intra- and inter-regional air communication. And here the Government faces a specific task: to modernize the infrastructure of at least 75 airports in six years – this is more than a third of the Russian airport network. We will allocate at least 250 billion rubles for these purposes. This will be direct budget financing.

The air fleet of our airlines will also have to be updated at the expense of their own domestic aircraft. They must meet all modern requirements for quality, convenience and safety – a difficult task. They bought too much aviation transport abroad, but did not develop their production.

Nevertheless, advanced Russian developments in mechanical engineering, construction, communications and digital systems will also be in demand in creating a high-speed railway network. I will also say a few words in this direction.

The first route between Moscow and St. Petersburg will pass through Tver and our ancient capital, Veliky Novgorod. Then we will lay highways to Kazan and the Urals, Rostov-on-Don, the Black Sea coast, Minsk, fraternal Belarus, and other popular destinations.

The large-scale modernization of the Central Transport Hub will continue. The Moscow central diameters will become the basis for connecting the capital region with Yaroslavl, Tver, Kaluga, Vladimir and other regions with modern high-speed routes.

It is also necessary to modernize the supporting network of inland waterways. Due to this, we will ensure additional economic effects in the field of tourism, in the field of industrial development, and the development of certain sensitive, very important regions for us, including the regions of the Far North.

What I want to say here additionally. Modern infrastructure directly works to increase the capitalization of all assets of the country, regions that use their transit tourism potentials, can involve land plots for industrial and agricultural facilities in circulation, and for citizens it is an opportunity to build a house for a large family, live in more comfortable conditions, for business it is new prospects, including on external markets markets.

In this regard, a separate issue that was raised at one of my meetings is queues at border checkpoints. This problem is especially acute in the Far East. According to the regulations, customs inspection takes 19 minutes, in reality, almost every truck driver often waits at the border for hours.

Colleagues from the Ministry of Transport have a specific task: the typical time for inspection of cargo transport at the border should not exceed ten minutes. Modern technologies allow us to do this.

Such requirements are also important for the rhythmic operation of the North–South transport corridor, which will connect Russia with the countries of the Middle East and Asia. It will be based not only on automobile routes, but also on seamless rail links all the way from our ports in the Baltic and the Barents Sea to the coast of the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. We will also increase the capacity of railways in the southern direction, which will allow us to actively use the port capacities of the Azov and Black Seas.

The third stage of the expansion of the Eastern polygon of the railways – BAM and Transsib - is being launched. At one time, sorry for the bad manners, we yawned a little, we didn't do something on time, but okay - now we have to catch up and we will catch up. By 2030, their throughput capacity will increase from 173 to 210 million tons per year. At the same time, the ports of Vanino and Sovetskaya Gavan should be developed.

The further development of the Northern Sea Route is in the area of special attention. We invite foreign logistics companies and states to actively use the opportunities of this global transport corridor. Last year, 36 million tons of cargo passed through it. I would like to draw your attention, colleagues: this is five times more than the record figure during the Soviet Union – five times! We will provide year-round navigation on the Northern Sea Route. We will increase the turnover of our northern ports, including the Murmansk transport hub, and, of course, increase the Arctic Fleet.

Last year, the unique scientific research icebreaking platform "North Pole" went on a raid. At the beginning of this year, a new nuclear icebreaker Leningrad was laid at the Baltic Plant. Next year we will lay down another ship of the same class – the Stalingrad. And at the Far Eastern shipyard Zvezda, a new generation icebreaker is being built – the Leader, with twice the capacity.

On the basis of our domestic shipyards, we plan to significantly upgrade the merchant fleet: tankers, gas carriers, container ships. This will allow Russian businesses to build effective trade flows in the context of changing logistics and fundamental changes in the global economy.

Dear citizens of Russia! Dear friends!

I would like to say this separately. I constantly meet with the participants of the special military operation. These are both regular military personnel, and volunteers, people of civilian professions who were mobilized for military service. All of them stood up in arms to defend their homeland.

You know, I look at these courageous people, sometimes very young guys, and, without any exaggeration, I can say that my heart is filled with pride for our people, for our people and for these people specifically. Such, of course, will not retreat, will not let you down and will not betray you.

They should take leading positions in the education and upbringing of young people, in public associations, in state-owned companies, business, in state and municipal management, lead regions, enterprises, and ultimately the largest domestic projects. Such genuine heroes and patriots in life are sometimes quite modest and restrained, they do not boast of their successes, do not utter loud slogans and words. But at crucial moments in history, it is such people who come to the fore, take responsibility. Such people who think about the country, live its fate, can be transferred to the future and entrusted with Russia.

You know that the word "elite" has discredited itself in many ways. Those who, without any merit to society, consider themselves some kind of caste with special rights and privileges, especially those who in previous years filled their pockets at the expense of all sorts of processes in the economy of the 90s, they are definitely not the elite. I repeat, the genuine, real elite are all those who serve Russia, hard workers and warriors, reliable, proven, and worthy people who have proved their loyalty to Russia.

In this regard, I think about a new, important decision: starting tomorrow, from March 1, 2024, veterans of a special military operation, as well as soldiers and officers who are currently fighting in active units, will be able to apply to participate in the first training stream of a special personnel program. Let's call it "The Time of Heroes". This idea, I will not hide, came to my mind when I met with students participating in a special military operation in St. Petersburg. This program will be built according to the same standards as our best projects: the Higher School of Public Administration, which is called the "school of Governors", as well as the "Leaders of Russia" competition. Their graduates reach high positions in many fields, even becoming ministers and heads of regions.

Military personnel and veterans with higher education and managerial experience, regardless of rank and position, will be able to participate in the program here. The main thing is that these should be people who have shown their best qualities, have shown that they know how to lead their comrades.

The study will begin in the coming months. The mentors for the first participants of the program will be the heads of the Government, the Presidential Administration, federal ministries, departments, heads of regions and our largest companies. In the future, we will expand such personnel programs, launch management courses at the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, and I consider it necessary to raise the status of the Academy by law.

In addition, veterans and participants of a special military operation will be able to receive higher education and a civilian specialty in our leading universities as a matter of priority.

I ask the Ministry of Defense and the commanders of combat formations to support the desire of soldiers and officers to try their hand at the new personnel program, to provide them with the opportunity to apply for participation, to go to face-to-face classes. I would like to note that the participants in the special military operation – both privates, sergeants, and combat officers - already form the backbone of our Armed Forces today. And, of course, as I have already said, those who intend to continue their military career will receive priority promotion when they are accepted to command courses, colleges and military academies.

Dear friends!

Independence, self-sufficiency, sovereignty must be proved and confirmed every day. This is about our and only our responsibility for the present and for the future of Russia. This is our Homeland, the Homeland of our ancestors, and it is necessary and dear only to us and, of course, to our descendants, to whom we are obliged to pass on a strong and prosperous country.

Over the past few years, we have managed to build a management system, as well as the implementation of national projects on new principles, based on large amounts of data, modern digital technologies, which made it possible to increase work efficiency, control risks, take into account the entire volume of information, constantly adjust projects and programs based on feedback from citizens.

I want to thank my colleagues from the Government, departments, and regions who have painstakingly built this system all these years – both during the pandemic and in the context of the sanctions aggression against Russia. I know that it was a difficult, difficult job, and most importantly, it is already giving back. We can see this from the results.

Exactly in this logic, we will continue to act. By the end of the year, all the national projects that I spoke about today must be approved and coordinated among themselves. I want to emphasize once again: these are not projects of individual departments, they should work on common systemic tasks, to achieve our national development goals. At the same time, I ask the All-Russian Popular Front to continue to monitor the execution of decisions at all levels of government.

I want to emphasize that the main result of our programs is not measured in tons, kilometers and the amount of money spent. The main thing is to evaluate people, how their lives are changing for the better. The scale of the historical challenges facing Russia requires extremely clear, coordinated work by the state, civil society, and business.

I consider it necessary now not only to prepare a draft budget for the next three years, but also to make up all the main expenses and investments for the period up to 2030. That is, in fact, we need to form a six-year long-term financial plan for the development of the country, which, of course, we will complement with new initiatives. Naturally, life will make adjustments.

Despite the difficult period, despite the current trials and difficulties, we are making long-term plans. The program that I outlined in my Message today is objective and fundamental. This is the program of a strong, sovereign country that confidently looks to the future. We have both the resources and tremendous opportunities to achieve our goals.

But I will emphasize the main thing now: the fulfillment of all the planned plans today directly depends on our soldiers, officers, volunteers – all the servicemen who are fighting at the front now, on the courage and determination of our comrades-in-arms who defend the Motherland, rise up to attack, go forward under fire, sacrifice themselves for us, for the sake of the Motherland. It is they, our warriors, who create today absolutely necessary conditions for the future of the country and for its development.

I bow low to you guys.

I thank you all, dear colleagues, and I thank all Russian citizens for their solidarity and reliability. We are one big family, we are together, and therefore we will do everything the way we plan and want to do it, as we dream.

I believe in our victories, successes, and the future of Russia!

Thanks

 

[youlik]

This is the second mention of Western ambassadors today. Is something being prepared?

Zakharova suggested that the US ambassador to Russia stop lying
Zakharova invited Tracy to support Americans who want to be friends with Russia

MOSCOW, March 4 — RIA Novosti. The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, in a Telegram channel, reproached the US Ambassador to Moscow, Lynn Tracy, for lying after her words about the importance of developing US humanitarian ties with the Russian people.
U.S. Ambassador to Russia Lynn Tracy said earlier that Washington is trying to maintain humanitarian ties between Russia and the United States and does not consider the participation of Russians in educational programs in the United States to be interference in Russian affairs.

"However, she did not tell us how and to what extent the United States sponsors so-called NGOs that are engaged in subversive activities on the territory of our country. She also did not mention that Washington openly declared the "strategic defeat" of Russia as its goal. Exactly. There is no country without its people. Therefore, what the Americans want is to inflict a strategic defeat on our people," Zakharova wrote.
As Zakharova noted, the ambassador also did not mention that Washington allocates billions for bloodshed and is involved in the supply of weapons to Kiev, with which the Ukrainian military carry out terrorist attacks against Russia.
"Lynn, stop lying, better support your fellow citizens. Here in Sochi, at the World Festival, American youth expressed a desire to be friends with Russia. Maybe you will personally receive at the embassy, finally, not those who are against Russia, but those who are for it, especially since these are American citizens. Weak?" Zakharova summarized.

In January, the SVR press bureau, citing the director of the service, Sergei Naryshkin, reported that, according to the SVR, the United States intends to intensify work with Russians who graduate from American exchange programs to interfere in the Russian presidential election. Washington hopes to involve Russian scholarship holders in the preparation of new mechanisms for sanctions pressure on Russia, the press bureau of the SVR reported. On the eve of the presidential elections in Russia, the United States is seizing on the slightest opportunity to shake up the situation in the country, the message said, which noted that "as the presidential elections in Russia approach, the US government structures are inventing more and more sophisticated ways of illegally interfering in democratic procedures."
Later, the chairman of the State Duma commission to investigate the facts of outside interference, Vasily Piskarev, said that behind a completely "noble screen" of cultural and educational programs in the United States, work of the opposite nature was carried out - the indoctrination of young people.

Захарова предложила послу США в России прекратить врать

Spoiler: Russian spelling

За сегодня это уже второе упоминание западных послов. Что то готовится?

 

[Iain]

There has been an explosion at a small power plant in Shagonar. One person reported dead and 23 injured. No indication of a link with Ukraine as yet, only that a fire started in a boiler room and ignited coal dust:

Massive explosion rocks CHP plant deep inside Russia

The incident killed one person and injured at least 23 others.

www.newsweek.com

A massive explosion rocked a combined heat and power (CHP) plant in the city of Shagonar in Russia's Tuva Republic, southern Siberia, on Wednesday morning, killing one person and injuring at least 23 others.

The explosion was first reported at 8:49 a.m. local time. The head of the republic, Vladislav Khovalyg, said on his Telegram channel that a fire at the thermal power plant had been localized. A state of emergency has been introduced in the region.

Baza, a Russian-language Telegram channel which is linked to Russia's security services, said a fire started in the boiler room of the thermal power plant, which then caused an explosion.

Russia's state-run news agency RIA Novosti was cited by several local news outlets as reporting that the cause of the explosion was the detonation of coal dust in the thermal plant's fuel supply room.

 

[youlik]

Putin spoke at a youth festival in Sochi

 

[Keit]

Just leaving this information here about an inordinately large number of utility accidents in Russia during winter of 2023-2024, particularly burst central heating pipes.

It's not unusual to have such accidents from time to time, despite maintenance periods during spring and summer, because there is central heating in most urban areas of Russia, and not all pipes are being replaced or serviced in time. Many of them are dozens years old and were put underground during the Soviet Union. Obviously accidents can also happen as a result of negligence or corruption, but this is also something that isn't unusual.

What is unusual is the large number of such accidents particularly this year and in so many regions all over Russia, including areas that are considered to be in a better condition and with a bigger municipal budget, like Moscow region.

Here is statistical data to show just how abnormal this winter is. The data was collected by pro-West (anti-Russian sites) like New Gazette Europe or DW, but I could find other sites that contained similarly detailed information. And even if they fudged and exaggerated the numbers, everyone in Russia still got the feeling that this year had much more utility accidents than usual, so it is still strange.

Every day in Russia, according to the Ministry of Construction's data for 2022, an average of 220 communal accidents occurred. This is almost 10% more than the year before. The time for emergency repair of pipes is also growing: if in 2021 residents sat without heating and water for an average of eight hours, in 2022 - almost ten.

Official statistics records including small breakdowns, which are not known to the general public. But on the scale of accidents, this winter is breaking all records. In December and January alone, according to our data, there were at least 557 utility accidents reported by the media, which is more than in the entire last winter.

Taking into account all types of breakdowns, the figure will be even higher: for the current heating season, as reported by Svetlana Razvorotneva, deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Construction and Housing and Utilities, 1800 accidents have been recorded.

News about major accidents come from all over the country - from Moscow, St. Petersburg, the Urals, Siberia, the south and even Kamchatka. This winter alone, utility accidents have occurred in 59 regions. In some regions, light, water and heat are cut off almost daily. For example, in the Sverdlovsk region there were 17 accidents in the first 17 days of 2024. Among them is one of the largest in the region: after the New Year holidays, residents of 324 high-rise buildings in Yekaterinburg lost heating for three days.

The winter of 2023/2024 may set a record not only in the number of utility accidents, but also in the number of people affected by them. After the New Year holidays, Russia experienced two major utility accidents at once: on January 9, 177 thousand residents of Saratov were left without heating at minus 14, and the next day a third of the population of the Omsk region was cut off from electricity.

According to our calculations, at least 1.5 million Russians faced utility outages in January alone - more than in the whole of 2022.

And this is not just a matter of household comfort, but a real threat to people's lives. This January, three residents of Tyumen went to the hospital with burns. On January 29, a former SWO member fell into a pit of boiling water. "From the pain I yelled to the doctors to cut off my leg. I survived in Bakhmut to drown in boiling water in Tyumen," says the military man. Now the man is lying in hospital with burns from the first to the third degree. His neighbor in the ward two weeks ago also fell into boiling water.

In 2023, the number of victims of utility accidents increased 2.5 times. More than 100 people were injured due to burst pipes, another 36 due to domestic gas explosions. The largest of such accidents occurred on July 22 in the Moscow shopping center "Seasons of the Year", where 50 people were scalded in boiling water, four of whom died. In the first two months of 2024, 43 people were scalded in boiling water.

Various explanations are being given to the increase of the utility accidents. The most popular one is tear and wear of the utility networks.

In October 2022, 30 percent of the country's heat supply networks and 43.4 percent of water supply networks needed to be replaced, according to the Russian government's assessment. In March 2020, the Russian Ministry of Construction estimated the degree of wear and tear of utility networks at 58 percent, while the Housing and Utilities Reform Assistance Fund in August 2021 spoke of 60-70 percent wear and tear.

The main reason for the surge in accidents is the lack of a full-fledged program for repairing utility networks, said the publication's interlocutor, an expert on urban development who wished to remain anonymous.

Another one is either an abnormally frosty weather, or constant temperature ups and downs.

This year's frosts are really abnormal. Cold weather came to Russia with the beginning of December - on the first winter weekend in some regions the thermometer columns dropped 20 degrees below the norm. On New Year holidays it was also colder than usual in most regions of the country, and in the near future warming should not be expected. This was told the day before by the country's chief weather forecaster.

- Significant frosts are expected in many regions. The word "significant" means temperature deviation from the norm by -7... -10 degrees, - warned Roman Vilfand.

Temperatures across Russia are jumping feverishly: somewhere it will get sharply colder, somewhere a thaw is expected.

But it is still very strange that all these failures and increased number of accidents happened all over the country and in various climate zones. The pipes are located relatively deeply, so not sure what kind of temperature fluctuations could influence this. Besides. Siberia, particularly Novosibirsk where I live at the moment always experience drastic temperature fluctuations. Because the city is located in the area of extreme continental climate. And yet this year there were a lot of really serious utility accidents, something that didn't happen in previous years.

Perhaps it's a manifestation of chaotic energies flying around, or perhaps it's a combination of several factors. What is also interesting, that there wasn't something like this in other countries. Maybe it has to do with the fact that there is no central heating system in other countries like in Russia, and other countries had their own share of extreme weather or events, but still it's curious why this period all of the sudden.

Symbolically speaking, water signifies emotions, so it's like there is something brewing or changing that causes weak infrastructure to burst. Maybe something that requires a fundamental change. Just some thoughts.

Another thing is the recent warning that came from several Western countries about an "imminent" danger of terror attacks in Russia "for the next 48 hours". It seems that the intended date was 8th of March, but supposedly even today as a result of the warning "the number of patrol groups in the center of Moscow and on some types of transport has been increased by 2-2.5 times, and officers in civilian clothes have also been sent on duty."

8th of March was an International women's day and in Russia this day massively being celebrated as a general women's day. There are indeed a lot of celebrations, but elections day, for example, would be a more logical day for such warnings. So who knows what is in the plans, because the elections happen in a week. It will go on for 3 days.

 

[youlik]

Putin's interview with Dmitry Kiselyov took place today. The full recording is in Russian, but there are subtitles.

 

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The full transcript of Putin's interview with Kiselyov. It's inconvenient for someone to read subtitles. I will have to split into 2 messages. It doesn't fit into one because of the size.

Spoiler: 1 part

Interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin Dmitry Kiselyov. Transcript and video
Russian President Vladimir Putin gave an interview for the Rossiya 1 TV channel and RIA Novosti, touching upon a wide range of topics in a conversation with Dmitry Kiselyov.

Dmitry Kiselyov: Vladimir Vladimirovich, addressing the Message [to the Federal Assembly], you, figuratively speaking, took trillion after trillion out of your sleeve. Thus, they proposed an absolutely amazing plan for the development of the country - absolutely amazing. This is a different Russia, with a different infrastructure, a different social system - just a dream country.

I would like to ask, ask your favorite question from Vysotsky: "Where is the money, Zin?". Have we earned them at all?

Vladimir Putin: Yes, of course.

Moreover, firstly, it was all made up as a result of the painstaking work of the expert community, Government specialists, and the Administration. Everything fits completely into the budget rules and, in fact, is quite conservative, because some experts believe that there should be and will be more revenue. This means that it would be necessary to plan large expenditures, because this should directly affect the prospects for economic development.

In general, this is correct, but in 2018 we also planned to allocate 8 trillion additional dollars for the development of the economy and the social sphere, and then increased these expenses. I think it is quite likely that if everything turns out as optimists from this environment of experts say, which I mentioned, then we can - and should, and will be able to increase these costs in various directions.

Dmitry Kiselyov: So we are talking about a six-year period?

Vladimir Putin: That's right. We are talking about a six-year period. We are currently setting up a budget for a "three-year period" - for a three-year, as we say, planning period. But, of course, when we were preparing for the Message - I say, "we were preparing for the Message," because the whole team is working - we assumed that we would calculate our income and expenses in those areas that we consider key, priority areas for six years.

Dmitry Kiselyov: But still there are literally stunning projects. For example, the Sochi - Dzhubga highway: 130 kilometers, of which 90 kilometers are tunnels, and the rest are probably bridges, judging by the landscape. One and a half billion in the first three years only, and the highway should ideally be ready in 2030. How necessary is this and is it enough to win?

Vladimir Putin: People need this track. After all, families with children cannot get to Sochi by car. Everyone stops somewhere in the area of Gelendzhik, Novorossiysk, because the track is very heavy - serpentine.

There are several construction options. We will be discussing this literally the next few days, in the next few days: either do it to Dzhubga, or first do it from Dzhubga to Sochi. Some members of the Government suggest doing it in stages. Others believe that you need to do everything at once, because otherwise there will be a narrow neck from Dzhubga to Sochi.

The first part, if you look from Novorossiysk, is more or less kind of decent, and the coverage is not bad, but very narrow. If we make it to Sochi, as the first part, then there may be traffic jams in this small space, which are still enough there.

In general, we will determine this with specialists - how, what stages, but it needs to be done. It is necessary to determine, of course, the final cost of the project, to ensure that everyone remains within the framework of financial plans.

First of all, the interests of people, but also of the economy. The development of territories in the south of the country is very important.

Dmitry Kiselyov: If we can afford such large-scale investments, it means that the country is rapidly getting richer, especially in the conditions of its own, in the conditions of almost 15 thousand sanctions - absolutely wild. Moreover, we also set ourselves the task of reducing poverty, including for large families. Isn't it too bold?

Vladimir Putin: No. Look, if you go back to this road. When I discussed it with members of the Government, as you know, the Ministry of Finance is always such a miser in a good way, it is always very conservative about spending, and then Finance Minister [Anton Siluanov] He told me - almost verbatim: "Those who have never driven along this road today are against the construction of this road."

Dmitry Kiselyov: In other words, the whole Government should be rolled.

Vladimir Putin: And he's right, because it's especially [important] for families with children.

As for whether we are getting rich or not. The economy is growing - this is a fact, and a fact that has been recorded not by us, but by international economic and financial organizations. Indeed, in terms of purchasing power parity, we have overtaken the Federal Republic of Germany and taken its place - fifth place - among the largest economies in the world.

The German economy shrank, in my opinion, by 0.3 percent last year, while we grew by 3.6 percent. Japan grew by a small percentage. But if everything develops at the same pace as today, then we have every chance to take the place of Japan and become the fourth economy in the world, and in the near future.

But? - here we must say honestly, objectively, - there is a difference between the quality of our economies. In terms of purchasing power parity, that is, in terms of volume, we are really fifth now, and there is every chance of taking Japan's place. But the structure of the economies of these countries, of course, differs favorably from ours.

We still need to do a lot to ensure that not only in terms of purchasing power parity, but also [that in terms of GDP] per capita we have a decent position - first. And secondly, so that the structure itself changes, so that it becomes much more efficient, more modern, more innovative. That's what we're going to work on.

As for income, purchasing power parity is a very important indicator. This is the volume, the size of the economy. This means that the state receives funds through the tax system at all levels to solve strategic tasks. This gives us the opportunity to develop in the way we consider necessary for our country.

Dmitry Kiselyov: By the way, you are talking about the structure, about the need for structural changes in our economy. After all, this is exactly what was laid down in your Message, and this is how the task is set: for innovative industries to grow faster than the average economy.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, of course.

I've already said this: the structure is what we have to work on. The future of our economy, the future of labor resources, efficiency, and labor productivity depend on this.

One of the main tasks today is to increase labor productivity. Because in conditions of shortage of workers and labor resources, we have only one way to effectively develop - to increase labor productivity. This, in turn, means that we must increase the innovative start of the economy, for example, increase the density of robotics. Today we have ten robots, in my opinion, for 10 thousand people working, but we need at least a thousand robots for 10 thousand people working. That's the way it is in Japan, in my opinion.

And in order for people to work on such new technology - not only to use robotics, but also other modern means of production - they need to be prepared. Another problem arises - this is personnel training.

To do this, we have designated entire areas, including engineering training. Surely, you have noticed that we have already launched 30 modern engineering schools across the country. This year we are launching 20 more - there will be 50. And we are planning another 50 in the coming years.

Therefore, these areas are the future of our country. We will move and develop in these areas.
Dmitry Kiselyov: In order to "end" the sanctions. Many have expressed the idea of creating a special body that would deal with sanctions, their reflection, in general, defense against sanctions. Is something like this supposed to happen, or does it make no sense?

Vladimir Putin: No need to just. We analyze - the Government, the Central Bank, the Security Council - we analyze everything that our enemies are doing. After all, much is being done not even for political or military reasons, although it is argued for this, but is being done simply for reasons of competition…

Dmitry Kiselyov: Unscrupulous, unfair competition.

Vladimir Putin: Unfair competition - under the guise of some political or military considerations. This was the case in the aircraft industry, and it happens in many other industries.

Well, we live in the world that we have, and we have adapted to it. We understand who we are dealing with. And so far, as can be seen from the results of our work, we are acting quite effectively.

Dmitry Kiselyov: But the treachery of the West is not limited to sanctions. Here is a quote from your address [to the Federal Assembly]: "The West is trying to drag us into a new arms race in order to exhaust and repeat the trick that they succeeded in the 80s with the USSR." How big is our margin of safety here in terms of an arms race, in fact?

Vladimir Putin: Here we need to get the maximum return for every ruble invested in the defense industry. Indeed, during the Soviet era, no one counted these costs, no one, unfortunately, pursued efficiency in our country. Defense spending accounted for about 13 percent of the country's GDP - the Soviet Union.

I will not refer to our statistics - let's refer to the Stockholm Institute: last year our defense spending was four percent, and this year it was 6.8, that is, we grew by 2.8 percent. In principle, this is a noticeable increase, but absolutely uncritical. In the Soviet Union, it was 13 percent, and now we have 6.8 percent.

I must say that defense spending accelerates the economy, it makes it more energetic. But, of course, there are limitations here, we understand that. The age-old question is: which is more profitable - guns or oil? We mean it.

Although, I repeat, the modern defense industry in our country is good because it not only indirectly affects civilian industries, but also itself, using innovations necessary for defense, uses these innovations to produce civilian products. This is an extremely important thing.

Our expenses, of course, are incomparable. How many are they in the United States? 800…

D. Kiselyov: Under 900 already.

Vladimir Putin: Under 900 - 860 or 870 billion [dollars]. They are absolutely not comparable to our expenses.

Dmitry Kiselyov: It seems to me that they are sawing there, because they have no hypersound, nothing… What's it?

Vladimir Putin: I'll explain what's going on now. The fact is that they spend a lot of money on maintenance - and not only on salaries, but also on the maintenance of bases around the world. And there, as in a black hole, everything goes away - you can't count anything. That's where the main cutting is going on. Although in the production of weapons of destruction, weapons in general also spend money that is difficult to estimate.

If we calculate how much they cost, say, a well-known missile defense system and one of the main components of overcoming missile defense on our part - the Avangard, an intercontinental missile, an intercontinental range planning unit - then these are simply incomparable values. And we, in fact, zeroed out everything they did, everything they invested in this missile defense system. This is the way to act.

And of course, without any doubt, the economy of our Armed Forces itself must meet today's requirements.

Dmitry Kiselyov: The word "justice" is a magic word for the Russian language. You use it very carefully, but still, one day you said that word in your Message - and it sounded like lightning. You said that the distribution of the tax burden should become more equitable in Russia, and suggested that the Government think about it. In which direction should I think?

Vladimir Putin: You know, indeed, the distribution of the tax burden should be fair in the sense that corporations, legal entities and individuals who earn more, in simple words, should allocate more to the general treasury, as they say, to solve national tasks, primarily to solve problems to combat poverty.

Dmitry Kiselyov: A progressive tax?

Vladimir Putin: Yes, in fact, a progressive tax.

I would not like to go into details now, we need to work on this. And in this way, it is necessary to build this system so that it really gives a great return for solving, first of all, social issues and tasks facing the state in this area.

We plan to reduce the tax burden, for example, for large families, and take a number of other steps in this direction. It seems to me that society will accept this absolutely normally. First.

Second. What does the business itself ask of us? He asks that we decide on the tax system, but do not touch it anymore, so that it is stable. This is the most important request and demand from the business.

The Government should deal with this in the very near future and submit proposals together with the deputies of the State Duma.

Dmitry Kiselyov: A progressive tax - won't we scare anyone off? We used to be afraid of scaring someone off with this progressive tax all the time.

Vladimir Putin: No, I don't think so. In principle, this system has been established in our country. 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 to act much more selectively.

Dmitry Kiselyov: During your address, you thanked your "colleagues from the Government" - that was the wording. Does this mean that the Mishustin Government - in case of your victory - will remain?

Vladimir Putin: After all, we need to talk about this after the elections, after the counting of votes. It seems to me that this is simply incorrect now. But on the whole, the Government is working - as we can see, the results are obvious, these are objective data - it is working quite satisfactorily.

D. Kiselyov: You mentioned reducing the tax burden for large families. Children and the demographic situation - these topics were very voluminous in your address. Indeed, the issue is quite painful, because demographically Russia is melting. Last year was an anti-record in terms of fertility.

Vladimir Putin: The birth rate, in my opinion, is 1.31 or 1.39…

Dmitry Kiselyov: 1.39 children per woman capable of giving birth.

Vladimir Putin: Childbearing age.

Dmitry Kiselyov: Perhaps, ideally, we would need to double - [to a factor of] three. Because this is literally a disaster for society.

You have proposed a fairly large-scale program to support motherhood and demographic incentives. Are you sure that these measures will reverse the trajectory from downward to upward?
Vladimir Putin: In general, if we proceed from all measures to support families with children, then over the next six years we plan to spend up to 14 trillion rubles through various channels. That's a lot of money.

There are a lot of areas of support for families with children: starting from general social ones - the construction or renovation of kindergartens, the construction of new schools, the repair of old schools, putting them in order in accordance with the requirements of today - to support women from pregnancy to 18 years of age. After all, we have almost 400 thousand women now receiving benefits. This is almost every third woman who is expecting a child. And more than ten million children receive benefits. This is a serious thing.

We have continued the system of providing maternity capital. We have continued payments - these decisions are being made now - in the amount of 450 thousand rubles per family, if a third child appears there, to repay the mortgage loan. We have retained mortgage benefits for families with children. In general, there is a whole set in very different directions in order to support families.

Of course, as you have already mentioned, this is the fight against poverty, because, of course, it is much more difficult for families with children than for those families where there are no children. This is understandable, the costs are high. Nevertheless, we have managed to do a lot in this area.

Look, 20 years ago, I think 29 percent of our population was below the poverty line - that's 42 million people. Now 9.3 percent, according to the latest data, but this is also 13 and a half million people. Of course, a lot. Of course, we need to do everything to reduce it to at least seven percent. And for large families, there is a more modest indicator, but it should also be increased.

What do we proceed from when we talk about fertility problems? I have already said it many times, and experts are talking about it, these are objective things, namely: we had two very large declines in the birth rate. During the Great Patriotic War - 1943-1944. A comparable decline occurred immediately after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Just one-on-one, the same decrease in the birth rate.

It is clear why: the social support system has collapsed. No matter how weak it was in the USSR, if we can talk about it, but still it was, and after the collapse of the Soviet Union it disappeared almost completely, and complete poverty began. Needless to say, it's not even necessary right now. In any case, the family planning horizon decreased during these years, and the birth rate fell before the war years. Then we had a lift. And now we have quite a large number of children, young people who will enter adulthood and childbearing age in a few years, and we assume that our indicators will increase.

What you said is a global trend. There are only a few countries with developed economies that show positive demographic dynamics, in all other countries everything goes into negative territory. This is a difficult problem related to the economy, with women's life priorities. It's better not to go there now, let the demographers try, tell us and suggest a solution.

But do you know what sets you up in a positive way? The mood in society. 70% of men and 72% of women want to have two or more children, and the state should support them. This is a whole large set of support measures that we are planning - they definitely need to be implemented, and we will do it.

Dmitry Kiselyov: But there is still no certainty that those measures will turn the situation around.

In the late 90s - this is a well-known story, you told about it yourself - you saved your children from a fire: you entered a burning house, on the second floor. And then they remembered that there was money somewhere else. The money was on fire and burned. This indicates your priorities: children first, then money.

Maybe this is the case now on a national scale? To spit - and not 14 [trillion], but right at everything, and create such a program to ensure that this situation is reversed?

Vladimir Putin: You know, we need to look at this as events unfold, as they say. In the early 2000s, we took a number of steps in the field of demography, including the introduction of maternity capital and a number of other measures, which gave an obvious positive result. This means that we can achieve the goals we need.

Dmitry Kiselyov: So there is such an experience?

Vladimir Putin: There is experience, of course, there is experience. And using this experience and other modern developments, we must still count on achieving the goals that we set for ourselves. And as events develop, we will adjust those measures or add something else to the measures that we will apply.

For example, we have now announced the Year of the Family. We have a new national project - "Family". There are elements there that we have never used before. For example, 75 billion [rubles] will be planned for those regions where the birth rate is lower than the national average. These are mainly the central regions of Russia and the North-West. 75 billion is a decent amount of money. It is only necessary to dispose of them competently.

There is also such a component as caring for the elderly. There are other support measures. We need to raise the birth rate and increase life expectancy - then we will stabilize the country's population. This is the most important integral indicator of our success or, perhaps, of the work that requires additional attention from all administrative levels and authorities.

Dmitry Kiselyov: Yes, but everywhere in the world there is also a third tool for solving demographic problems - immigration. What figures can we talk about here in this six-year period and what does consistency mean in this work?

Vladimir Putin: If we talk about migrant workers, we don't have that many immigrants compared to other countries - they make up 3.7 percent of the total number of workers. But they are concentrated in those regions where economic life is most active, and there are, of course, an order of magnitude more of them. These are the Moscow region, Moscow, the North-Western region and some regions of the North, where wages are decent. But, without any doubt, this is an issue that requires special attention from the authorities - both local, regional, and federal.

What would you like to say here? A very important thing. After all, when migrant workers are attracted, they always talk about the need to do this due to a shortage of workers. Our entrepreneurs must understand that the situation for them in terms of the availability of workers will not change for the better in the coming years - they will face a shortage of labor.

So, in order to solve this problem radically - now I'm going back to what we already talked about - it is necessary to increase labor productivity and reduce the number of workers in those areas where it can be done, achieving even greater results by introducing modern technology. To do this, we need to invest in this area and train personnel - we have already talked about this. This is the most important thing we need to think about.

In general, of course, migration policy is an important tool in the economy. It is not a sin to look at the experience of other countries. First of all, of course, we need to talk about the repatriation of our compatriots. What repatriation is and what compatriots are is already reflected in our regulatory framework, there is no need to repeat it here.

We need to talk about attracting people who, perhaps, are not going to move to the Russian Federation, but because of their qualifications, because of their talents in various fields, they can make a significant contribution to the development of our state, to the development of Russia. We will also be happy to attract such people.

As for traditional migrant workers, we also need to think about how to prepare them for arrival in Russia, including with our partners in the countries where they live. This is the study of the Russian language, our traditions, culture, and so on. They need to be taken care of here, treated like human beings. So that they integrate into our society in a natural way. All this together should give a corresponding, hopefully, positive effect.

Yes, and, of course, everyone must respect our traditions and the laws of the Russian Federation. And of course, compliance with sanitary standards and so on is very much in demand. Ensuring the safety of citizens of the Russian Federation should be in the first place.
Dmitry Kiselyov: Russians are probably the largest divided nation in the world. You had a conversation with the "Leaders of Russia", and one of your interlocutors said that in the Zaporozhye region we found that they were just as Russian as we were. And for them, - there was such an impression, - it sounded like some kind of revelation. In general, this is true, and we are now growing into new regions, and Odessa is a Russian city. Perhaps there is a lot of hope here, in this direction too?

Vladimir Putin: Of course. The population density in these regions has always been quite high, and the climate is wonderful.

As for Donbass, it is an industrially developed region - back in the days of the Soviet Union. How much the Soviet Union invested in this region, in its coal mining industry, in the metallurgical industry! Yes, of course, investments are required in order for all production to be modern, living conditions, working conditions of people to be built in a completely different way - not the way it was a couple of decades ago.

As for Novorossiya, it is a region with a pronounced developed agriculture. Here we will do everything to support both traditional areas of activity and new ones that fit seamlessly into these regions and into the desire of people to develop them. And there, you know, people are very talented.

Moreover, as I have already said, even taxes go to the federal budget from there. Yes, at this stage they need to be helped, supported, and pulled to the republican, federal Russian level. They will work, and very quickly.

Dmitry Kiselyov: Historically, it is quite obvious that the Nazi regimes themselves do not dissolve, but disappear as a result of military defeat. This was the case in Germany, Italy, and Japan. The same thing will obviously happen with the Bandera Nazi regime. We are now moving along the entire front line, judging by the reports of both the Ministry of Defense and our war correspondents.

Still, have we managed to find a way to fight when our losses are less on the offensive than on the defensive? This is a rather non-trivial task for the art of war, but it always holds back the offensive. This is thrift, which is completely justified in relation to our heroic warriors. But this question arises: how to move forward with minimal losses?

Vladimir Putin: The question is clear and fair. But the answer is also simple: it is necessary to increase the means of destruction - the number and power of the means of destruction, to increase the effectiveness of the forces and means used. Aviation is both tactical and army, and the same strategic. I mean, of course, in those components that are acceptable for armed conflicts of this kind. These are ground-based weapons, including high-precision weapons. These are artillery, armored vehicles. We are developing, without any exaggeration, by leaps and bounds.

Dmitry Kiselyov: In this direction?

Vladimir Putin: Yes, that's what happens. This is the answer to your question: the more powerful and more weapons of destruction, the fewer losses.

Dmitry Kiselyov: But still the question is raised, what price are we willing to pay - maybe the word "project" is not appropriate - for all this challenge that we have had to face historically?

Vladimir Putin: Look, every human life is priceless, every one. And the loss of a loved one for a family, for any family, is a huge grief.

But the question is what? The question is to determine the very fact of what we are doing. What are we doing? We met today, you have just noticed, one of the participants in the conversation said: We were surprised to find that Russians like us were there. We came to help these people. This is basically the answer to your question.

If we abandon these people today, then tomorrow our losses may increase many times, and our children will have no future, because we will feel insecure, we will be a third- or fourth-class country, no one will consider us if we cannot protect ourselves. And the consequences can be disastrous for the Russian statehood. That's the answer.

Dmitry Kiselyov: The Americans seem to be talking about negotiations, about strategic stability, but at the same time they declare the need to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia. Our position is: "We are open to negotiations, but the time for kind gestures has passed, they are over." So there won't be any negotiations?

Vladimir Putin: We have never refused to negotiate.

Dmitry Kiselyov: But how, without kind gestures, does it mean without compromises? How then?

Vladimir Putin: I will try to clarify. When we were negotiating in Turkey, in Istanbul (I have already said this many times, I must repeat it again, I will do it) with the negotiators from the other side, we came to a thick folio, a document, actually an agreement, a draft agreement. There is an excerpt from this agreement, it was initialed by the head of the negotiating group from Ukraine, Mr. Arahamiya. He did it, his signature is worth it (we have it in the Administration). But then, as you know, Mr. Arahamia himself told the world publicly, also at a meeting, in my opinion, with journalists, even with foreign ones: former British Prime Minister Mr. Johnson arrived and dissuaded them from finally signing and, accordingly, executing this agreement. And the topic that you just mentioned went on: it is necessary to defeat Russia on the battlefield.

Are we ready to negotiate? Yes, we are ready. But only we are ready for negotiations, not based on any "wishes" after the use of psychotropic drugs, but based on the realities that have developed, as they say in such cases, on earth. This is the first one.

Second. After all, we have been promised many times. They promised not to expand NATO to the East, and then we see them at our borders. They promised, if we do not delve into history, that the internal conflict in Ukraine will be resolved by peaceful, political means. As we remember, three foreign ministers came to Kiev, Poland, Germany and France, promised that they would be the guarantors of these agreements - a coup took place a day later. They promised to fulfill the Minsk agreements, and then publicly stated that they were not going to fulfill these promises, but only took a break to arm the Bandera regime in Ukraine. We have been promised a lot of things, so promises alone are not enough here.

Right now, negotiating just because they're running out of bullets is kind of ridiculous on our part. Nevertheless, we are ready for a serious conversation, and we want to resolve all conflicts, and especially this conflict, by peaceful means. But we must clearly understand for ourselves that this is not a pause that the enemy wants to take for rearmament, but this is a serious conversation with guarantees of the security of the Russian Federation.

We know the various options in question, we know the "carrots" that are going to be shown to us in order to convince us that the moment has come. We want, I repeat once again, to resolve all disputes and this dispute, this conflict by peaceful means. And we are ready for it, we want it. But this should be a serious conversation with ensuring security for the opposing side as well, and in this case we are primarily interested in the security of the Russian Federation. We will proceed from this.

Dmitry Kiselyov: Vladimir Vladimirovich, it seems to me that we somehow look too noble. Won't it turn out that we will conclude something with them, and they will deceive us once again, and we will console ourselves with the fact that we are honest, and they deceived us? Is it our fate, after all, to remain a fool all the time?

The Americans minted medals for themselves in the 1990s for winning the Cold War, and since then all these decades have been decades of big lies. How can we even hope that they will go and finally conclude an honest agreement with us, which they will fulfill, and even with guarantees for us? I do not know what to do with them at all? Do you really believe that such a thing is possible?

Vladimir Putin: I don't want to say this, but I don't believe anyone.

Dmitry Kiselyov: So.

Vladimir Putin: But we need guarantees. Guarantees should be prescribed, they should be such that we would be satisfied, in which we would believe. That's what we're talking about.

It's probably premature to talk publicly about what it could be. But we certainly won't buy into some empty promises at all.

D. Kiselyov: I am afraid that you will be quoted in an extended way. Do you believe no one at all, or do you mean Western partners in this case when you say that you don't believe anyone?

Vladimir Putin: I prefer to be guided by facts rather than good wishes and talk about trusting everyone. After all, you see, when decisions are made at this level, the degree of responsibility for the consequences of the decisions made is very high. Therefore, we will not do anything that does not correspond to the interests of our country.

Dmitry Kiselyov: Vladimir Vladimirovich, what happened to Macron? Has he lost his mind at all? He is going to send French troops to fight with our army, he looks like a fighting Gallic rooster, thereby scaring all Europeans. Yet how to react to this?
Vladimir Putin: The fact is that the military of Western countries have been present in Ukraine for a long time, even before the coup they were present, and after the coup their number multiplied. Now they are present directly in the form of advisers, they are present in the form of foreign mercenaries and they are suffering losses. But if we are talking about official military contingents of foreign countries, then, I am sure, this will not change the situation on the battlefield - this is the most important thing, just as the supply of weapons does not change anything.

Secondly, this can lead to serious geopolitical consequences. Because if, say, Polish troops enter the territory of Ukraine, as it sounds, to cover the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, for example, or in some other places to free up Ukrainian military contingents to participate in hostilities on the contact line, then I think that Polish troops will never leave there. I think so. They sleep and see, they want to return those lands that they consider historically their own and which were taken from them by the "father of nations" Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin and transferred to Ukraine. They certainly want them back. And if official Polish units enter there, they are unlikely to leave.

But then their example may be followed by other countries that lost part of their territories as a result of the Second World War. I think that the geopolitical consequences for Ukraine, even from the point of view of preserving its statehood in its modern form, will certainly rise in all its glory and in full growth.

 

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Spoiler: 2 part

Dmitry Kiselyov: If we go back to Macron, maybe he decided to take revenge on Russia in this way for the fact that we "stepped on his tail" in Africa, and we had to "stand there, be afraid"? He probably didn't expect us to be so active there.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, I think there is some kind of resentment, but when we maintained direct contacts with him, we talked quite frankly about this topic.

We didn't go into Africa and didn't squeeze France out. The problem is different. The notorious Wagner group first carried out a number of economic projects in Syria, then moved to other African countries. The Ministry of Defense provides support, but only on the basis that this is a Russian group, nothing more. We didn't squeeze anyone out. It's just that the African leaders of some countries agreed with Russian economic operators, wanted to work with them, did not want to work with the French in some way. It wasn't even our initiative, it was an initiative from our African friends.

It is unclear why we should be offended in this regard, if an independent state wants to develop relations with its partners from other countries, including Russia, and wants to develop relations with Russia. We did not touch them, the former French colonialists, in these countries. I even say this without irony, because in many countries where France has historically been a metropolis, they do not really want to deal with them. We have nothing to do with it. It's probably more convenient to take offense at someone without seeing your own problems. Perhaps such an acute, rather emotional reaction on the part of the French President is also related to what is happening in some African states.

Although I know other African countries where they are calm about the French stay, and they say that "yes, it suits us, we are ready to work with them." But in some countries they don't want to. We have nothing to do with it. We are not encouraging anyone there, we are not setting anyone up against France.

We do not set ourselves such tasks. To be honest, we do not have such national, national tasks at the level of the Russian state there. We're just friends with them, that's all. They want to develop relations with us - for God's sake, and we are going to meet them halfway. There's nothing to be offended about.

Dmitry Kiselyov: But now they say in France that there are no "red lines" left in relation to Russia, and nothing is impossible, and everything is possible. In general, they want to talk to us somehow on the basis of a balance of power. We hear a lot from France, the West, and Lithuania. In general, some kind of choir is not harmonious, but hostile.

Maybe we should also make non-standard decisions 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?

Vladimir Putin: First, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has its own "nuclear umbrella". They didn't ask us for anything. This is the first one.

Second. In principle, as we see today based on the results of what is happening on the battlefield, we are coping with the tasks that we set ourselves.

As for those states that say that they do not have any "red lines" in relation to Russia, they should understand that in Russia there will be no "red lines" in relation to these states either.

As for the small states of Europe, first of all, we treat everyone with respect, no matter what. Secondly, when they, these small states, call for a tougher policy towards Russia and take some extreme measures, including, say, sending troops and so on, these are still those states, and they understand this, that will not feel the consequences of the provocative statements they have made. And those who can feel it, they behave much more restrained. And correctly.

Dmitry Kiselyov: And all these German dances with Taurus? Scholz says "we do not supply," but there are forces that insist on supplying Taurus to Ukraine, the British come up with their own initiative: let's transit through England, we are ready to send. The goal is the Crimean Bridge, German generals are already planning operations, as we have heard, not only the Crimean Bridge, but also military bases, as they say, deep in Russian territory. Someone is already saying that these missiles can hit the Kremlin. Don't they really dig into their dreams at all?

Vladimir Putin: They fantasize, they cheer themselves up, first of all. Secondly, they are trying to intimidate us.

As for Germany, there are also problems of a constitutional nature. They are right to say that if the Taurus gets into that part of the Crimean Bridge, which, of course, even according to their concepts is Russian territory, this is a violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany.

The fact is that the opposition in Germany is behaving even more aggressively. Let's see what they agree on. We are closely monitoring this. British and American missiles are also used. It doesn't change the situation on the battlefield. Yes, they are causing damage to us, of course, this is obvious. But, in fact, this does not change the course of hostilities and the consequences that inevitably come for the opposite side.

We are now hearing that in the same Germany. Both your channels and foreign channels, German channels show how many they have, how many are in a faulty condition, how many require improvement, modernization, and so on. Let them work. As you correctly said, there are some things they should think about. The smarter one thinks about it.

Dmitry Kiselyov: But the new NATO members Finland and Sweden, in general, what have they exchanged for what? Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom suddenly told the Turks that Sweden was against NATO bases being on Swedish territory. What, they didn't understand where they joined at all? What happened to them?

Vladimir Putin: You have to ask them that, I do not know. We had quite good relations, stable relations with these countries, and I think they benefited more from the fact that they adhere to neutrality, because it gives certain advantages, at least as a negotiating platform in order to reduce tensions in Europe.

We generally had perfect relations with Finland, just perfect. We didn't have a single claim against each other, especially territorial, let alone other areas. We didn't even have troops, we removed all the troops from there, from the Russian-Finnish border. Why did they do it? Based, in my opinion, on purely political considerations. I probably really wanted to be members of a Western club, under some kind of "umbrella". Frankly, I don't understand why they need it. This is an absolutely senseless step from the point of view of ensuring our own national interests. Nevertheless, it is up to them to decide, they have decided so.

We didn't have troops there, now we will. There were no defeat systems there, now they will appear. What for? Our economic relations were very good. They used our market, we bought a lot from them. What's wrong with that? But now the situation will change. With their many products in other markets, they are not really needed, ours do not receive enough. I don't understand.

Dmitry Kiselyov: Meanwhile, the United States is…

Vladimir Putin: You know, this is a household thing, but nevertheless. In recent years, Russian rubles have been accepted in Helsinki, and even more so in the border areas of Finland. Including in Helsinki, in large supermarkets, you could buy whatever goods you wanted for rubles. There are all the ads in Russian all around.

Dmitry Kiselyov: Now the border area is simply going bankrupt there.

Vladimir Putin: Yes. What am I talking about? On the other hand, from an economic point of view, it was very good - real estate prices were kept at a fairly good level. From an economic point of view, it's good, but apparently there were forces, quite right-wing conservative, nationalist, who didn't really like it - such a rapprochement with Russia. Some even thought it was redundant.: What are Russian houses and apartments buying? Everything is in Russian all around us…

I'm not even what I think, I know, at the household level, such Russophobia has begun to grow up. Maybe some political forces inside the country have decided to take advantage of this domestic bias, maybe. The totality of these factors led to this decision. I think so, but I can't say for 100 percent. In any case, this certainly does not improve the security situation in any way - both in bilateral relations and in Europe as a whole.
Dmitry Kiselyov: But meanwhile, there is an active presidential election race in the United States. It can't do without you there. You invisibly participate in it, because each of the candidates from the Republican and Democratic Parties mentions you in their speeches, argues. In general, it seems that you do not leave the pages of newspapers and television news headlines there and are an argument in everyone's election campaign. And you're adding fuel to the fire.

Vladimir Putin: How is that?

Dmitry Kiselyov: Saying that one of the candidates is preferable for us. But if, in general, a foreign president says that one of the candidates in another country is preferable, then this is a classic interference in elections. In general, to what extent are you interfering in the American elections in this way, saying that Biden is preferable for us? And how true is it anyway? Is this trolling or what is it?

Vladimir Putin: No, you know, I'm going to tell you one thing that will show that nothing changes in my preferences here. First.

Second. We do not interfere in any way in any elections, and as I have said many times, we will work with any leader who is trusted by the American people, the American voter.

But here's the curious thing. Even in the last year of his work as President, Mr. Trump, today's presidential candidate, reproached me for sympathizing with Biden. That was more than four years ago. That's what he told me in one of the conversations. Sorry, I'll tell you how he is, it's just a direct speech: "You want sleeping Joe to win."

He told me so when he was still President. And then, to my surprise, he was persecuted for allegedly supporting him as a candidate. Well, it's complete nonsense.

And as for the current pre-election situation, it is becoming increasingly uncivilized. I would not like to make any comments on this matter.

But it is already absolutely clear, I think it is obvious to everyone, that the American political system cannot claim to be democratic in every sense of the word.

Dmitry Kiselyov: Actually, to be honest, your preference for Biden sounds rather strange to me personally. After all, Biden came to Moscow in 2011 and tried to persuade you not to run for President.

Do you remember this story? Then he told about it, meeting with the Russian opposition at Spaso House. And Garry Kasparov wrote about it (recognized as a foreign agent - Ed.) that Biden told this story, that he came to the Russian White House to Prime Minister Putin and tried in every possible way to dissuade him from running for President and began building an "Arab Spring" in our country. That is, Biden didn't like you very much back then. You have such a historic duel with him. Or did it just go away for you?

Vladimir Putin: To be honest, I didn't really pay attention to it.

Dmitry Kiselyov: It's gone, right? You didn't even pay much attention to it.

Vladimir Putin: Some kind of duel…

Dmitry Kiselyov: So it was serious for him, but not for you.

Vladimir Putin: It's just a sign of interference.…

Dmitry Kiselyov: Yes, this is 100 percent outright interference.

Vladimir Putin: ...into our domestic political processes. We have already talked many times, and I have talked many times: "We won't let anyone do this."

Dmitry Kiselyov: All right.

If you get away from interference, election battles, in fact, the escalation continues. It seems that both superpowers - Russia and the United States - are playing what is called the "Chinese game" in America: this is when chickens jump on each other, and there it is a game when guys in cars fly into each other's heads, and who will turn first. It seems that no one is going to turn off first. So is a collision inevitable?

Vladimir Putin: Why? The United States has announced that they are not going to send troops. We know what American troops are on Russian territory. These are the interventionists. This is how we will treat it, even if they appear on the territory of Ukraine, they understand this. I said that Biden is a representative of the traditional political school, this is confirmed. But there, besides Biden, there are enough other specialists in the field of Russian-American relations and in the field of strategic deterrence.

Therefore, I do not think that everything is rushing so head-on here. But we are ready for this. I have said many times that for us it is a matter of life and death, and for them it is a matter of improving their tactical position in the world as a whole, but also in Europe, in particular, maintaining their status among their allies. This is also important, but not as much as it is for us.

Dmitry Kiselyov: Interestingly, you said that we are ready for this. Philosopher Alexander Dugin, a specialist in geopolitics, calls for direct and practical preparations for nuclear war. "And the better we are prepared for it, the less likely such a war is," says Alexander Dugin. How can you even be prepared for this? Are we really ready for a nuclear war?

Vladimir Putin: From a military-technical point of view, of course, we are ready. They [the troops] are constantly on alert. This is the first one.

Second. This is also a generally recognized thing - our nuclear triad is more modern than any other triad, and only we have such a triad, and indeed the Americans do.

We have made much more progress here. We have a more modern one, the whole nuclear component. In general, we have approximate parity in terms of carriers and charges, but we have a more modern one.

Everyone knows this, all the experts know it. But this does not mean that we should measure the number of carriers and warheads, but we need to know about it. And those who need it, I repeat - experts, specialists, the military - they know this well.

They are now setting the task of increasing this modernity, novelty, and they have corresponding plans. We know about it too. They develop all their components, and so do we. But this does not mean that, in my opinion, they are ready to unleash this nuclear war tomorrow. If they want to, what should they do? We are ready.

Dmitry Kiselyov: Maybe, to make it more convincing, we should conduct nuclear tests at some point? After all, we have no international restrictions for this.

Vladimir Putin: There is a treaty banning such tests, but, unfortunately, the United States has not ratified this treaty. Therefore, in order to maintain parity, we have withdrawn this ratification. Since the treaty was not ratified by the United States, it did not enter into force definitively, because it did not gain the necessary number of ratifications, nevertheless, we adhere to these agreements.

We know that the United States is considering the possibility of conducting such tests. This is due to the fact that when new warheads appear, as some experts believe, it is not enough to test them only on a computer, which means that they need to be tested in their natural form. Such ideas are floating in certain circles in the United States, they have a place to be, we know about it.

And we're watching too. If they conduct such tests, I do not exclude, it is not necessary, we need it or not, we still need to think about it, but it is possible that we can do the same.

Dmitry Kiselyov: But are we technically ready for this?

Vladimir Putin: Yes, we are always ready. I want it to be clear, these are not ordinary types of weapons, this is the kind of military that is in constant combat readiness.

Dmitry Kiselyov: Vladimir Vladimirovich, but still, in difficult moments, I do not know, last year at the front in connection with Kharkov or Kherson, did you have a thought about tactical nuclear weapons?
Vladimir Putin: And why? At the same time, at the suggestion of the then command of the group, a decision was made on our part to withdraw troops from Kherson. But this did not mean at all that our front was falling apart there. There was nothing like it anywhere near. It was just done in order not to incur unnecessary losses among the personnel. That's all. This was the main motive, because in the conditions of warfare, when it was impossible to fully supply the group located on the right bank, we would simply incur unjustified losses of personnel. Because of this, it was decided to relocate to the left bank.

The correctness of this choice was confirmed by what the Ukrainian command tried to do in certain areas of the left bank, in the same settlement of Krynki: they just threw their people there into a meat grinder, and that's it. They've been running barefoot there lately, in the truest sense of the word. They tried to throw ammunition there by high-speed boats and drones. What is it? Just for slaughter, sent for slaughter.

I once asked the Chief of the General Staff, there is nothing secret here, I say: "Listen, who do you think makes such decisions from that side? After all, the one who makes the decision understands that he is sending people to certain death?" He says, "They understand." I say, "Who makes the decision, why are they doing this? It's pointless." - "Meaningless from a military point of view." I say, "Which one?" "I don't know," he says, "probably the top political leadership, based on political considerations, that they have some chance to break through our defenses, there is some chance to get additional money, referring to the fact that they have some kind of bridgehead on the left bank, there is some kind ofit's a chance to present your position beautifully at international meetings." The command has passed, all the lower-level bosses automatically issue further.

But, by the way, the prisoners who were captured there surrendered, they show that they did not even know what situation they were in. Let's say new units are thrown in there, they say: "There is a stable defense, let's go on, help." They couldn't even get to the left bank anymore.

Dmitry Kiselyov: A tragedy.

Vladimir Putin: It's natural. From a human point of view, absolutely.

Therefore, why should we use weapons of mass destruction? There has never been such a need.

Dmitry Kiselyov: In other words, such an idea did not occur to you?

Vladimir Putin: No. And why? Weapons exist to be used. We have our own principles, what are they talking about? That we are ready to use weapons, including any weapons, including those you mentioned, if we are talking about the existence of the Russian state, about damaging our sovereignty and independence. We have everything written into our Strategy. We haven't changed it.

Dmitry Kiselyov: Vladimir Vladimirovich, when outgoing President Yeltsin invited you to run for President, your first reaction was: "I'm not ready."

Vladimir Putin: That's right, it's a direct speech.

Dmitry Kiselyov: Since then, of course, you have gone through a very big evolution. If you had to write a telegram to yourself at that time, what text would be in it?

Vladimir Putin: You see, it's like "Yankees at King Arthur's court" or something like that. It is impossible to answer this question, because the question was asked at that time, in the historical and economic context in which the country was located, in the internal political situation from the point of view of internal security. And all this together prompted me to the answer I gave: "I'm not ready for this." Not because I was afraid of something, but because the scale of the tasks was huge, and the number of problems was increasing every day like a snowball. Therefore, I said it 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 it was about. Therefore, I said it absolutely sincerely and, if I go back, I would repeat the same thing.

Dmitry Kiselyov: And then what became decisive? You went anyway.

Vladimir Putin: Probably, conversations with Boris Nikolaevich.

The most important thing is, in the end, what did he answer me then: "Okay, okay, I understand, we'll come back to this later." And we've come back to that a few times.

In the end, he said that I was an experienced person, I knew what I was doing, what I was offering, and he told me some other things. It's probably inconvenient to praise myself, but I said such positive words. Later, he confirmed it again, in a completely positive way, I will not talk about it now.

And when the work started, everything was completely different there. You know, when you work, you think: this, this, this is needed right now, this is now, this is tomorrow, and it went, and it went. When you get involved in work, it's a completely different story.

Dmitry Kiselyov: There is no time to be afraid anymore.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, it's not about fears, but about understanding, about the ability to solve these problems. Remember for yourself what 1999 is like in the economy, in the field of security, and in finance - in everything.

Dmitry Kiselyov: You once told me that preparing for admission to Leningrad University was a turning point for you. It was the situation when you had to go all in, realizing: either I will do it now and cope, and then I will carry out the plans that I want (and you were already going to work in the KGB at that time), or I lost, and then everything is different and there is no chance. Is Russia now in a position where it is necessary to play all-in?

Vladimir Putin: First of all, I didn't have such a position then. Yes, I wanted to work in the state security agencies.

Dmitry Kiselyov: It was the admission, it was such a turning point, this feeling, right? Is it either that or is it that way?

Vladimir Putin: Not quite. I just came to the reception, said: "I would like to work. What is needed for this?"

The alternative was simple, I was told: you either need to get a higher education, and preferably a law degree, or serve in the army, or have at least three years of work experience, but it's better to serve in the army. If I hadn't gone to university, I would have joined the army.

Yes, it might have been a longer path to the goal that I set for myself, but it was still there. There is always an alternative.

Dmitry Kiselyov: But you acted with tension.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, of course, because I studied at a school with a chemical and mathematical bias, and here I had to take humanities subjects. I had to leave one thing and do the other.

Yes, of course, there was tension. It was necessary to independently learn a foreign language, German in this case, it was necessary to study history, literature and so on.

Dmitry Kiselyov: Russia is also at a crossroads now: either it works, or…

Vladimir Putin: Russia is not at a crossroads. She is on the strategic path of her development, and she will not turn away from her path.

Dmitry Kiselyov: To what extent do you feel the support of the Russian society in its new capacity? After all, a new quality of Russian society has developed.

Vladimir Putin: It was there, it just showed up. And it is very good that we have given this deep Russian society the opportunity to express itself. I have a feeling that people have been waiting for this for a long time, that an ordinary person will be in demand by the country and the state and the fate of the country depends on him. It is this feeling of inner connection with the Motherland, with the Fatherland, of its importance in solving key tasks, in this case in the field of security, that has brought to the surface the strength of the Russian and other peoples of Russia.

D. Kiselyov: Are you fueled by this?

Vladimir Putin: Always. It's not even that someone is fueled, the fact is that I see the demands of society. This is the most important thing - to meet the needs of society.

Dmitry Kiselyov: But it's time to admit 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 protection of human dignity, for the protection of traditional values. How does it feel to feel such a scale of responsibility?

Vladimir Putin: To tell you honestly, I don't feel it at all. I'm just working in the interests of Russia, in the interests of our people. Yes, I understand what you are talking about now, and I am ready to comment on it. But so that I feel like some kind of arbiter of the world's destinies, there is no such thing. Believe me, not even close. I'm just doing my duty to Russia and to our people, who consider Russia their homeland.

As for other countries of the world, the way we are treated around the world is very closely related to this. That's interesting. It's a phenomenon, that's for sure.

What I would like to draw your 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.

That, in my opinion, is what is important. And why is this happening? Not because we are formally members of the BRICS or because we have some kind of traditional relationship with Africa. This is also important, but the point, in my opinion, is completely different. It lies in the fact that this so-called "golden billion" has been practically parasitizing 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 this. I have a feeling that it's not even about the leadership of these countries, although this is very important, but ordinary citizens of these countries feel in their hearts what is happening.

They associate our struggle for their independence and true sovereignty with their aspirations for their own sovereignty and independent development. But this is compounded by the fact that Western elites have a very strong desire to freeze the existing unfair state of affairs in international affairs. They've been used to stuffing their bellies with human flesh and their pockets with money for centuries. But they have to understand that the vampire ball is ending.

D. Kiselyov: Are you hinting at their, as you put it in your address, colonial ways? That's what you're talking about.
Vladimir Putin: That's how it all happens.

Dmitry Kiselyov: But now you have painted a completely fair picture when people see some hope in Russia. How did it happen that Western propaganda, with all its power, its colossal resources and tools, could not pupate Russia, isolate and create a false image of it, although it sought to in the minds of billions of people? How did it happen?

Vladimir Putin: Because what I just said is more important to people. People all over the world feel this in their hearts. They don't even need any pragmatic explanations of what is happening.

Dmitry Kiselyov: That is, despite the wall of this dirt?

Vladimir Putin: Yes. In their own countries, they also fool people, and this has an effect. They - in many countries - believe that this is in their interests, because they do not want to have such a huge country as 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 global terms, can not be compared with either China or India, but the largest in Europe - and now also the fifth largest economy in the world. Well, why do we need such a competitor? They think: no, it is better, as some American experts have suggested, to divide it into three, four, five parts - this will be better for everyone. They proceed from this.

And some, at least, of the 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 were even happy, I think. Because they believed that now they would finish with us, now, under this barrage of sanctions, practically a sanctions war declared against us, with the help of Western weapons and war by the hands of Ukrainian nationalists, they would finish with Russia. Hence the slogan: "To inflict a strategic defeat on Russia on the battlefield."

But later came the realization that this was unlikely, and even later that it was impossible. And it became clear that instead of a strategic defeat, they were faced with impotence, and with impotence, despite the fact that they relied on the might of the all-powerful United States. They faced impotence in front of the unity of the Russian people, in front of the fundamental foundations of the Russian financial and economic system, its stability and in front of the growing capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

And that's when they began to think - those who are smarter, began to think - that it would be necessary to change some kind of strategy towards the Russian Federation. Then the idea arose to resume the negotiation process, to find some ways to end this conflict, to look for where Russia's real interests are here. These are dangerous people, by the way, because it is easier to deal with people who are guided by such base principles.

Do you remember how they used to say in Russia? Happiness for some at the household level, what was it? I'm full, drunk, and my nose is full of tobacco. Yes? It's easier with such people when you're full, drunk, that is, full, drunk. The nose is in tobacco because snuff was used. My nose is full of cocaine now. It doesn't matter, it's easier with such people, but more difficult with smart ones - they are more dangerous, because they affect the consciousness of society, including ours, they will throw out all sorts of their "wishlist" under the guise of a "carrot" for us.

You have already drawn attention to this when you asked about the possibility of a negotiation process. But nevertheless. Hence the contradictions within the Western community. This is an obvious thing, we see it.

We are not going to deal with splits there - they will do it brilliantly themselves. But we will certainly seek to ensure that our interests are respected.

Dmitry Kiselyov: I can't help but ask. These attacks on the Belgorod and Kursk regions are military actions that are taking place in our regions. They behave more brazenly - do they feel something? What is the reason for this?

Vladimir Putin: The explanation is very simple. All this is happening against the background of failures on the contact line, on the front line. They have not achieved any of the goals they set for themselves last year. Moreover, now the initiative has completely passed to our Armed Forces. Everyone knows this, everyone recognizes it. I don't think I'll say anything new here. Against the background of those failures, they need to show at least something, and, mainly, attention should be focused on the information side of the matter.

On the state border line, the enemy tried to attack primarily with sabotage groups. The latest report of the General Staff: somewhere up to 300 people, including with the participation of foreign mercenaries. The enemy's losses amounted to more than 200 people - about 230. Of the eight tanks used, the enemy lost seven, of the nine armored vehicles - nine, of which seven were American-made, Bradley. Other armored vehicles were also used, but mainly for the transportation of personnel: they pick you up, throw you out and leave right away. This is on the Belgorod section of the border. A little further south, in my opinion, in one place - there are much smaller forces there. Nevertheless, I have no doubt that the main goal is, if not to disrupt the presidential elections in Russia, then at least somehow interfere with the normal process of expression of the will of citizens. First.

Second. This is the informational effect that I have already mentioned.

The third. If at least something works out, get some chance, some argument, some trump card in a possible future negotiation process: we will return it to you, and you will return it to us.

But I said that with people who are guided by principles: I'm full, drunk, and my nose is in the well-known material - it's easier to talk to them, because you can calculate what they're going to do. They will also try in some other areas, but we can see that.

Dmitry Kiselyov: We mentioned the episode when you saved the children from the fire, but you already have grandchildren. Which country would you like to leave to your grandchildren?

Vladimir Putin: You know, at the first stage, we need to fulfill everything that was stated in the Message to the Federal Assembly a few days ago. We have big plans. They are very specific in the field of economic development, social sphere, support for motherhood, childhood, families with children, and support for pensioners. We have been talking very little about this lately, or not talking about it, but we certainly have the appropriate resources here. This concerns the indexation of pensions, various benefits, and long-term care for people who need it.

I would like to say that the people of the older generation are those thanks to whom we have a fairly strong, stable statehood and economy today, including. Because, despite all the twists and turns and the hardest trials for the economy in the 90s, it survived thanks to their heroic work after the Great Patriotic War and during the economic recovery. Therefore, we should never forget about this - about the merits of the older generation. We must always keep this in mind, ensuring their proper well-being. The future belongs to children, so I have already talked about programs in the field of motherhood and childhood.

All this is done only on the basis of economics. I hope that it will be more technologically advanced, more modern, and will be based on modern achievements in science and technology, information technology, artificial intelligence, robotics, genetics, and so on. Agriculture is developing here! And modern technologies are needed there too. They are actively used and will be used further.

Of course, the country will be self-sufficient in the field of ensuring its security and defense. All this together we will have to multiply many times - and the future will be secured.

Dmitry Kiselyov: Thank you, Vladimir Vladimirovich. Your confidence is contagious. Good luck in your noble deeds.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you.

Dmitry Kiselyov: Thank you.

 

[Deliverance]

Thank you Youlik, this is very interesting for Westerners because we are not used to deep analyses or speeches of this scale, informing the population. Not in Europe either.
He is strong and educated and involved in the life of his people, seen from here.

 

[youlik]

An article on Putin's thesis about Russia's readiness for nuclear war.

Finger on the button: what is behind Putin's thesis about a hypothetical nuclear war

It is unlikely that many people assumed that this would happen, but the topic recently raised by the Western press about the possibility of using TNW in a hypothetical pan-European conflict was quickly continued, and what! President Putin himself answered foreign newspapers and experts, although not directly.

This topic was raised, among others, in his long interview published on March 13. It is perhaps not surprising that the president of a belligerent nuclear power was asked if he was ready to use "Doomsday weapons" on occasion – but there was something unusual in his answer. After the well-known repeatedly repeated promise that if Russia's existence is threatened, nuclear weapons will definitely be used, Putin noted that our country is "technically ready for nuclear war."

As you might guess, within a couple of hours this remark appeared in the headlines on the front pages of the Western press, of course, not in the way that its author intended. For the most part, Putin only pointed out that the Russian strategic nuclear forces are in perfect order and vigilantly guard the country's peace from enemy encroachments. In turn, the "democratic" media, bound by their own narrative of a "maniac dictator," quite predictably scream about "nuclear blackmail" by the Kremlin.

That's partly what he is, and by the gentlemanly standards of a "rules-based world." Actually, if, for example, Paris "does not exclude" sending troops to Ukraine, then who will forbid Moscow in the same way to "not exclude" the exit of Paris (along with the suburbs) into near-Earth orbit? However, the statement about readiness for nuclear war is still not an empty phrase, but has very specific technical and organizational grounds.

Of course, at first glance, it sounds wild, like "we inhaled before we died." Indeed, a hypothetical general exchange of strategic nuclear weapons strikes will not be so much an armed conflict as a catastrophe on a planetary scale, for which hardly any country in the world can be truly ready. But if you go down a couple of steps lower, to the operational and tactical level, then there are much more options for the development of events than a single fatal singularity for the entire civilization.

Strangely enough, at this level, a nuclear conflict, like a conventional one, can be local geographically and/or small in terms of the number of weapons involved, and the most important thing is that you can seriously expect to win in it – of course, if you prepare in a real way. From this point of view, Russia's position really looks much better than that of our enemies.

They and we have a nuance

The whole point is in the balance of tactical means of nuclear attack and means of protection against it that has developed to date between the Russian army and NATO troops. In a sense, the picture here is even more interesting than in the field of non-nuclear weapons.

As you know, the main carriers of the Russian TNW are ballistic missiles of the Iskander land complexes, the number of which is estimated by Western open sources at one and a half hundred. Our fleet has Kalibr cruise missiles of similar range and warhead power. The VKS, although, according to Vedomosti, they do not have tactical nuclear weapons in their arsenals (X-102 cruise missiles and hypersonic Daggers are already strategic weapons), can be and, on occasion, will be used as "front-line bombers", as has long been practiced in the zone of its own.

In total, the hypothetical total "salvo" of this entire armada will number several hundred missiles with a range of 500-5500 km, each with the equivalent of a couple dozen Hiroshima on board – that is, the European Theater of Operations is shot through and to death. The reliability of the carriers, proven in practice by the Ukrainian conflict, guarantees that 90-95% of them will reach their goals without external opposition.

Our opponents are, to put it mildly, much more modest. Of the three hostile nuclear powers, only France seems to have relatively modern nuclear weapons in the form of an ASMP-A cruise missile. "It seems" is not for a red word here: very few such missiles were produced, as of 2015 there were only 54 units in service, and not all were under modernization with the replacement of the warhead. The flight range of the ASMP-A is about 500 km (it is claimed to be "more", but it is hard to believe, since the original ASMP flew only 300 km), so for its use, carriers, Rafale aircraft, will have to be transferred from France to Germany or Poland.

But this still went nowhere compared to the American TNW, represented by several modifications of the free-falling B61 bomb. Many types of NATO fighter-bombers can carry it: in particular, in October last year, the latest F-35 received the necessary certificate, and the European "allies" participating in the nuclear exchange program for these The targets are the F-16 (in Belgium, the Netherlands, Turkey) and the vintage Tornado (in Germany and Italy).

Prior to the start of its operation, 100 bombs for the "allies" were supposed to be stationed at bases in Europe, but in October 2022 plans were announced to increase their number to 500. However, it is unknown to what extent these measures were implemented; according to some reports, the number of American nuclear weapons, on the contrary, decreased. The latter statement looks doubtful until you look back at the effectiveness of Russian air defense, which makes the combat use of free-falling bombs (especially nuclear bombs and especially from the most modern aircraft) almost unrealistic: the risk of losing the carrier and ammunition to no avail tends to 100%.

But there is practically nothing to oppose the Russian TNW alliance: the effectiveness of all Western ground-based air defense and missile defense systems tested in Ukraine turned out to be depressingly low, the organization of a continuous barrage of fighters is difficult, and they are not able to reliably intercept all types of our missiles. Even in a purely speculative "sports" version of the simultaneous launch of a nuclear attack by both opponents, a clean exchange will not work – rather, a large margin, and not in favor of the West.

A strange sword, sir

But the saddest thing for the enemy is the fact that the size and diversity of the Russian nuclear arsenal gives our side a lot of opportunities for a first strike in any format: disarming (at enemy TNW bases), decapitating (at European governments and headquarters) and, finally, full-scale destruction. Moreover, this hypothetical first strike will not necessarily be aimed at pre–empting a nuclear attack by NATO - it is clear from Putin's interview that the preparation of a land intervention in the same Ukraine can be regarded as a sufficient reason.

Interestingly, in such a case, its well-known internal "solidarity" will also play against the Western coalition. It is extremely unlikely that the Washington–London–Paris trio will risk a full-scale response to evaporation into the stratosphere, for example, Rzeszow, Ramstein or some other logistics center in one or more non-nuclear NATO countries. Even threatening something like this to the nuclear powers of the West is out of hand, both for domestic political reasons and because of the objectively deplorable state of strategic nuclear forces, which is evidenced by a whole series of various accidents that have occurred since the beginning of the year.

So, on January 5, a B-1 missile carrier of the American Air Force crashed during landing. Another strategic bomber, this time a B-52, was forced to abort the flight on February 23 due to a fire in one of the engines. But the most spectacular incident turned out to be on January 30, when the British Trident ICBM "stalled" during a training launch almost immediately after launch and almost collapsed onto the Vanguard submarine, which was carrying Defense Minister Shapps and Fleet Commander Admiral Burns at that time. The subsequent statement that in real combat conditions even such a launch would be considered "successful" sounded frankly ridiculous.

So it turns out that Putin is not exaggerating at all when declaring Russia's readiness for nuclear war, because it may happen that our enemies are not ready for it (and indeed for a real confrontation) at all. In fact, the only thing that deters from trying to test this in practice is the unwillingness to risk hundreds of thousands of lives of fellow citizens, even if it is minimal and even in exchange for the total destruction of the enemy, as the President of the Russian Federation stated on March 13. But whether another broadcast warning from the Kremlin will work on zealous "hawks" like Macron is a question: they understand, but they don't want to believe yet.
Mikhail Tokmakov

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Zakharova is still witty.

Zakharova ironically commented on the "disappearance" of the British princess

MOSCOW, March 15 - RIA Novosti. The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, commenting on the situation around the Princess of Wales Kate Middleton in the UK, who is "being searched for," ironically stated in the Telegram channel that only "Novichok" and "the hand of Moscow" are in London quickly.
"The whole United Kingdom is looking for the missing Princess Kate Middleton. "So-and-so" has not appeared in public for more than 2 months," Zakharova wrote.

Kensington Palace announced on January 17 that Middleton had undergone elective abdominal surgery. The reasons for the surgical intervention were not specified, the text clarified that the Princess of Wales wished her "personal medical information to remain confidential." All planned events with the participation of Kate Middleton were postponed, on the advice of medical specialists, she was reported to most likely have to return to royal duties no earlier than Easter. On March 10, the wife of the heir to the British throne, Prince William Kate Middleton, thanked everyone for their support and warm wishes over the past two months. A photo was attached to the publication showing Kate Middleton sitting on a chair surrounded by her three children.
Later, the media reported that the world's leading news agencies had withdrawn a photo previously published by Kensington Palace of Kate Middleton surrounded by her three children out of concern that it had been edited.
"It seems, as Kensington Palace reported, she was in the hospital. Then everything broke down at the peak of the traditional British tabloid sabbath, which means one thing: no one is going to tell the truth," Zakharova wrote, adding that "we all remember Diana's story well."

"In general, only Novichok and the hand of Moscow are quickly located in London. It takes 2-3 days. And everything that needs to be "not found" is searched for a long time," Zakharova wrote.
She added that "most of all" she "liked the fake photo with Kate and the painted children, which Kensington Palace posted on social networks and sent to the media on the occasion of Mother's Day, and then withdrew from circulation after a wild scandal." Zakharova noted that, as noted in the media, "the image has not been checked for compliance with internal standards." "Translated into human, this means that the forgery was exposed by the public, and the royal family will falsify it qualitatively next time," Zakharova wrote.
"And there is no doubt that we are talking about the fabrication of a picture," the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes.
"I will give advice to the fooled Brits: if you want to find the princess, hire the roving investigators Maria Pevchikh*, Hristo Grozev* and Bellingcat** located in Britain," she added.
"They found a lot of things thousands of kilometers from Britain. It doesn't cost them anything to find the royal person under their noses," Zakharova wrote, adding that "they will manage until Saturday, maybe the Skripals will finally be found somewhere there, next to Kate."

On March 4, 2018, former GRU officer Sergei Skripal, who was previously convicted of treason in Russia, and his daughter Yulia were poisoned in Salisbury, which provoked an international scandal. On the fourth of July 2018 - four months after the poisoning of the Skripals - British police reported a "serious incident" in the city of Amesbury, where two people "were under the influence of an unknown substance" and were hospitalized in critical condition. Scotland Yard later confirmed that the man and the woman were poisoned with the same substance as the Skripals. On the eighth of July, 44-year-old Dawn Sturges, who suffered from poisoning, died at Salisbury District Hospital. The second victim, 45-year-old Charlie Rowley, survived.
London believes that the Russian state was involved in the poisoning of the Skripals with the substance A234, to which the British authorities equate "Novichok", and Sturges became an accidental victim after her partner Rowley gave her a bottle of a substance found in the park, which he considered perfume. Moscow categorically denies this. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the "Skripal case" is crumbling before our eyes due to the lack of any evidence of Russia's guilt. The Russian Foreign Ministry has sent dozens of diplomatic notes to the Foreign Office demanding that Russia provide access to the investigation, to the injured citizens of the Russian Federation, as well as with a request for legal assistance and proposals for cooperation, including a joint investigation.

Захарова с иронией прокомментировала "пропажу" британской принцессы

Spoiler: Russian spelling

Статья на тему тезиса Путина о готовности России к ядерной войне.
Захарова по прежнему остроумна.