7 May Meeting with SMO Commanders

I’ve never seen this table so completely occupied as it is in this photo.

Following his inauguration as Russian President once again, President Putin met with those commanding SMO forces to personally deliver his message to their troops. There’s a short, 16-minute public discussion before the cameras are turned off and the session goes private. Some interesting points are revealed but not too much. As usual, what isn’t provided is always of greater interest. Here’s what we get to read:

Vladimir Putin: Fellow officers! Good afternoon, dear comrades!

I am very glad to see you all at the events related to the inauguration of the President of the Russian Federation.

I would very much like this ceremony to be attended by all our comrades-in-arms, who solve tasks within the framework of a special military operation, do not spare their health, and if necessary, give their lives for Russia. Unfortunately, this is not possible, it is hundreds of thousands of people. But I would like to take this opportunity to send them my best wishes, wishes of success and victories.

We have big tasks to develop the country in the economic sphere, which is the basis of all our success – we all need to understand this and understand it-in the social sphere, in strengthening Russian families, in developing healthcare, education, and so on. We have all the possibilities, absolutely all the possibilities, for all these tasks to be fully implemented, but only on one condition-if you work successfully on the battlefield. This is the key link for today. We all understand this, the whole country understands it, and therefore, as you can see, the whole country supports you.

Today, I asked the Minister to gather here the commanders of various divisions, regiments, brigades, divisions, and armies who have distinguished themselves most recently during a special military operation. I would like to thank you personally for your courage, for your ability to command the troops. I would like to ask you to convey my best wishes to all your subordinates for the combat work they are doing in the interests of the Fatherland.

There is a friend among us who has a birthday today. Now the cameras will finish working, and I will allow myself to congratulate you-this is the first thing.

Second – I asked for the President's standards to be displayed on the table. Just as a souvenir-they are named, numbered-I want to give you as a sign of our meeting today.

Of course, for me, meetings of this kind always matter, because, as a rule, they are frank conversations. I very much look forward to such a frank conversation about what is happening on the battlefield, what needs to be done in addition, so that the actions of our combat units are even more successful, so that the tasks are solved with minimal losses, and so that, of course, we achieve all the tasks set for us by the Motherland. This is what I would like to say first.

Sergey Kuzhugetovich, if you have anything to add, please. Then we will ask the cameras to leave and talk in a completely free and frank mode.

Please, if there is anything, please.

Oleg Vlasov: Major General Vlasov, commander of the 810th Separate Guards Marine Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet.

Comrade Supreme Commander!

Since the beginning of the special military operation, the number of units entrusted to me was 2,441 people. A number of organizational events were held. The brigade includes 19 new combat units.

Vladimir Putin: 11 thousand, right?

Oleg Vlasov: At the moment, the number of units is 11,365 people. However, the organizational measures of the brigade management were not affected.

For high-quality performance of tasks, I ask you to consider holding organizing events in the management of a brigade that performs combat tasks in three groups of troops and forces at once.

Vladimir Putin: I know about this, we discussed it yesterday with the Minister, with the General Staff. The team has become large: it was just over three thousand at the beginning, and now it is more than 11 thousand. This is a division. I think we should follow this path, and we discussed this with the Minister yesterday. It is necessary to reorganize the brigade into a division and build all the management bodies accordingly. So let's do it.

I know about your team, it's always on the radar. Thank you for your hard work. Best wishes to all soldiers and officers.

Oleg Vlasov: I serve Russia!

Vladimir Putin: Anything else, please?

Dmitry Malakhov: Commander of the 24th Separate Guards Special Purpose Brigade of the Guards, Colonel Malakhov.

Comrade Supreme Commander!

Russia has historically taken part in many conflicts and military operations. As they say, the conduct of active combat operations is the engine of progress.

Our units have been actively using FPV drones on the battlefield for more than a year. We have achieved a good, big result. I do not hide the fact that the use of FPV often negates all attempts of the enemy to actively act on a particular sector of the front.

As I said, development is moving forward. There is a need to consider the introduction and, perhaps, the production of aircraft-type UAVs with FPV carriers for drones, that is, the so-called aviamatka.

First, it will increase the range of use; secondly, it will be both a means of reconnaissance, as a means of fire destruction, and a means of objective control, that is, it will carry three components in one. Plus, it will increase the fire capabilities of the units. I would like to see this area developed.

Vladimir Putin: First of all, you have just mentioned that Russia has been involved in many conflicts in order to protect its interests. And the most significant event for us, at least for our generations, is the Great Patriotic War. We celebrate the Victory Day holiday the day after tomorrow. I want to congratulate you on the upcoming holiday. And here's what I want to mention.

In different ways, in different situations, different people talk all the time about us, about contemporaries, about young generations, about young people. But when difficult times come, I remember that over the past couple of decades we have had such times, we all know about it, you cannot even remember it, but when such difficult, key moments come, the Russian people show their best qualities: both courage and heroism, regardless of age. It's probably in our blood.

And what is happening now in the framework of a special military operation on the battlefield is the best proof that-first of all, I appeal to you – you and your subordinates are worthy of our fathers, grandfathers, great-grandfathers who fought on the fields of the Great Patriotic War and defended their Homeland. And now we know about cases of courage and heroism. And these cases do not occur on a case-by-case basis, but almost on an ongoing basis. This is extremely important, it is one of the key conditions for our victory – I have no doubt about that.

As for today, of course, modern means of armed struggle are changing at a very high rate. And if we want to be successful, we must always be one step ahead. Do we always succeed? Probably not. We know, and you know it better than anyone else, that the enemy has enough modern means, because the entire Western community is working for our enemy, who is asleep and sees that Russia in its current form no longer exists. They have set themselves this goal, as I have already said publicly: apparently, they believe that in the system of confrontation that they are creating for themselves, Russia should be a weak point, a weak link. I'm sure they found out that this is far from the case, but rather the opposite. But to be successful, we need to be, once again, one step ahead in high technologies.

And of course, those tasks that-quite recently we thought so, and in general all over the world thought-can be solved only exclusively with the help of aviation complexes, are now being solved with small funds, but with great effect. We've learned to do it, we're doing it. This applies to reconnaissance, this applies to strike weapons, this applies to many other tasks, there are a lot of them: both in the rear you can solve them with the help of drones, and on the line of contact. We work in different areas: special research institutions are also working, the structures of the Ministry of Defense are working, and in the first case I meant civil services.

As we often say now, we are developing the so-called people's defense industry. That is, to be honest, when I meet with those who are somehow involved in your military work in the civilian sphere, I am, frankly, surprised myself. As you know, thousands of people who have never been involved in military service before are thinking about how effectively we can fight on the battlefield, and they are acting proactively and very effectively. But, of course, all this should be concentrated in a certain way, everything should be sorted out in a certain way, supported at the state level. That's what we do.

I won't go into details now, we'll talk more later when the press is gone. But we know this, we are working on it, and we understand that this is not an easy task. We know how difficult it is for our guys-fighters who are faced with the fact that enemy drones, like flies, fly over their heads, all this is known. We are working on it, and I am sure that the result will be achieved.

Dmitry Malakhov: Thank you.

R. Khalikov: May I ask your permission?

Vladimir Putin: Yes, of course.

R. Khalikov: Commander of the 74th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Guards, Colonel Khalikov.

Comrade Supreme Commander!

In the course of carrying out the tasks of a special military operation, a ground-based helicopter was used in the Avdiivka direction in the village of Berdychy.…

Vladimir Putin: We got him after all. It was difficult, I know.

R. Khalikov: May I clarify?

Vladimir Putin: I say, they still got Berdychs, it was difficult.

R. Khalikov: That's right, it was difficult, but we were taken away, and we are moving on.

In this locality, a ground – based robotic complex "Courier" was used – there were two of them-which was equipped with an AGS-17 automatic grenade launcher. This construction proved to be positive on this particular task. The use of such equipment in assault operations will save the lives of military personnel.

It is also possible to install various light weapons on this equipment specifically for assault operations. You can use it to evacuate the wounded and to transport materiel, to transport food, to transport ammunition. It has the ability to carry eight anti-tank mines, that is, it can mine a certain area of the terrain. And we are also thinking with the developer to use it as a shaheed mobile, that is, some kind of, roughly speaking, bunker that cannot be approached, driven up and blown up.

Is it possible to organize mass production of such platforms and equip assault groups of units?

Vladimir Putin: It's possible, of course.

Until recently, we adapted similar devices and developed them ourselves, so we have some experience. We will take what to hide, what we see on the international market. Despite all the difficulties, we still get some things that are not of the same quality and nature as a heavy flamethrower system, but such mobile things. They are also double, triple, and even civilian purposes. Of course, they can be adapted for modern warfare.

I repeat once again: we also have good developments of our own, so we will definitely bring it to you. If we create air, water, and underwater vehicles of this kind, and at the level of the highest modern achievements and technologies, we will do it, we will definitely do it, and we will expand this line.

I want to repeat to you what our colleague, the colonel, who is opposite me, said: you must always be a little ahead in these developments, then success will be absolutely guaranteed, there is no doubt about it.

We've been doing it lately, you know, FABs.... Yes, the opponent reacts quickly, we can see it, you can see it on the field more. EW actively uses and concentrates this EW in certain areas, but we manage to overcome this.

Our designers, scientists, engineers, believe me, also work day and night – in the full sense of the word, day and night-to get a little ahead of the enemy. I repeat once again: in general, we are doing well. This is one of the main tasks to ensure overall success and victory. [My Emphasis]

At that point the public portion ends and the private discussion ensues. As discussed elsewhere, the reformation of the Russian Army on traditional Divisional lines is underway, and the commanders seem very pleased with that happening and is likely connected to the recent outbreaks along the line-of-contact. The suggestion of larger UAV drone carriers is very interesting as that would extend the operational depth of FPVs by many tens of kilometers. IMO, the idea has great merit. The continual heroism and existential nature of the conflict were noted by Putin for exclusive benefit of the cameras as the commanders present are well aware of both. The mention again of “the People’s Defense Industry” was also made for the cameras as a message to those involved that their efforts are beyond appreciated, and in a sense would be unprecedented most anywhere except for Russia as such efforts appear to be “in our blood” as Putin noted. Unfortunately, there was no picture of the presidential standard given to those present, but I assume they resemble the pictured item. I see the Kremlin expanded the number of photos of the Inauguration This one of his entry walk unfortunately whites-out some of the great coloring inside that palace room and you can barely see the chandeliers:

The Russian Constitution upon which the President takes his oath of office followed by the Sign of the Russian President and attempt at a closer look follows.

For those having an hour to spend watching an historic event, the video of the Inauguration is here and IMO is worth the time to view.

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