Conclusion of Direct Line

Just a portion of the Audience. Again, the link to original transcript and video. The concluding third part:

Dmitry Peskov: Let's ask the audience a few more questions. I can't help but give a question to Radio Purga.

A. Lavrentieva: Hello!

Radio "Purga", Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. My name is Anastasia Lavrentieva, thank you so much for this opportunity.

I look at the monitors that show the relevance of topics for the regions, and I get confirmation that my question is really relevant and concerns many residents of our region. The question concerns communications and the Internet.

Vladimir Vladimirovich, we have high-speed Internet in Chukotka only in the capital of the region, this is the only city. All other residents of the region do not receive the charms and importance that the Internet offers us. Not only that, entertainment, public services, banking services for business are also inaccessible to most residents of Chukotka. Please help us solve the issue of eliminating digital inequality, if possible.

Vladimir Putin: Yes. There is no need to say much here, because we have a program for the development of the Internet, high-speed Internet, the development of communications in general, in this regard, the development of satellite grouping and so on, especially with regard to satellite grouping related to the organization of communications.

All this, of course, will be done. I won't say anything now, they are widely known, they are open data, we are working at a fast pace in this area, and appropriate resources have been allocated and planned. There will be no failures here, we will go according to this plan.

I very much hope that residents of remote regions, including Chukotka, will fully enjoy all the charms of modern civilization. For a country like ours, this is extremely important, because more and more people work remotely, and they receive education remotely. And here high-speed Internet is of fundamental importance. Of course, we will do it, there is no doubt about it.

.Peskov: Alexander is one of the patriarchs of Russian journalism. You are welcome.

Alexander Gamov: Thank you very much.

Website, radio and newspaper "Komsomolskaya Pravda". And "Putin's team"--I'm sitting with the girls today, Yulia and Marina have accepted me into their group.

This was not mentioned today, and I would like first of all to congratulate all of us and you, Mr Putin: today, according to my estimates, is the 20th press conference, although my colleagues tried to correct me that it was the 21st. There is no such format in the world yet, and God grant that we continue it as long, longer and longer as possible.

And I have a question like this. Contrary to the forecasts of skeptics, the presidential program "Time of Heroes" did not become a short-term project, so to speak, "for show it works." What were your personal hopes and did they come true? What are your current priorities?

And yet, literally in the last few days and hours, I had this question: why don't we protect and protect our heroes enough? I am referring not only to the death of General Kirillov, which was mentioned in passing here today, but there were also a lot of cases when our members of the SVO were offended. In fact, the law enforcement agencies were put on guard, justice was done, and a lot was written about it.

And also about the program "Time of heroes". I represent a heroic newspaper – Komsomolskaya Pravda, which was a frontline newspaper in the Great Patriotic War, and now it is a frontline newspaper: our military officers are working courageously, since 2014 we have been publishing KP in the Donbass, in Donetsk.

Next year we will be 100 years old—May 24, 2025. My colleagues asked me to send you an invitation to come to us. Here, Mikhail Petrov told how the 120th anniversary of TASS was solemnly celebrated, and they were awarded the order. We are waiting for you on May 24, at 12 o'clock. Will you come, Vladimir Vladimirovich?

Vladimir Putin: I will try.

Alexander Gamov: Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much for the invitation. "Komsomolka" is a part of the life of many generations of our citizens, with which people started their day in the morning and start or turn to Komsomolka during the day. Komsomolka is becoming a more and more modern mass media-–it works in all information environments, is a stable, reliable, objective mass media. I would like to congratulate you on the results of this work, and thank you for the invitation.

As for the Vremya Geroev platform, I have already said that I came up with this idea after meeting with the guys, mostly students–-participants of the Higher School of Economics in St. Petersburg when I looked at them and thought: here they are the future of the country, the personnel future of the country. So the idea to create such a platform came up. I will not hide the fact that when I came to Moscow and outlined it, I asked my colleagues in the Administration to implement this idea. They have already come up with the name of this platform: "Time of Heroes". In my opinion, this is a very good name.

The first stream received 43 thousand applications. Naturally, the selection is very serious: we selected only 83 people out of these 43 thousand. And it is clear why: we need people who have administrative experience, have an education, and are suitable for future work at the head of large companies or municipalities, entire regions, ministries and departments, and so on.

I said at the United Russia congress, and I want to repeat it now: of course, everyone is worthy–-all our guys who are fighting for the Motherland, not sparing their lives and health, they are all worthy. But there is a question of matching the direction of activity where they would like to see themselves. I repeat once again: both education and experience are needed.

And in general, it's still one thing to fight for the Motherland, and another thing is to work with people. You have to have a certain talent and aptitude for it, you know? These are still different types of activities. We need to select the right people from this environment who are willing and able to work in these areas. There are no mistakes yet: they are just wonderful guys.

The selection process for the second [stream] is already underway. More than 15 thousand applications were received. The fee will be extended for the next year, in my opinion, until mid-January or February. In any case, the work is actively underway.

And the work continues on the first set, but we have already made offers to many people, many are already working, and some regional leaders have even been appointed, which I am very happy about. They get into business, and they get into government and management bodies at all levels: both regional, local, and federal, and they get into large companies.

I want to repeat what I said at the United Russia congress. I was recently in a rehabilitation center, and I saw that there are guys with serious injuries: both without a leg and without an arm. But you know what I mean? Their eyes are burning. They are willing and willing to work and work actively, and they can do it. Modern means of rehabilitation, namely modern ones, allow you to do everything practically without any exceptions and discounts on health restrictions. We just need to help them.

One, I'll repeat it again, I remember his face, says: I understand that education is needed here, experience, but I don't have the proper education, or experience, but I want to. These are the people we need. Those who are ready and willing to work. They only need to be helped, found and helped.

You know, when I came to the judo section–-it just occurred to me now–-our coach, Anatoly Solomonovich Rakhlin, once said: pull up as much as you can. And some didn't take it, who pulled up more than I did. A few years later, we asked: Anatoly Solomonovich, why is it that you didn't take those guys, but we [took them], we didn't pull up enough. You know what he said, he was a wise man: but because you did everything to the last--your hands were shaking, your chin was stretching, you were trying really hard—and those who are bigger than you, they pulled themselves up calmly, but they could still, they did not fight, they did not give themselves.

But these guys give themselves completely, they want, and we need to help them, we need to support them.

A. Gamov: More about protecting heroes.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, this is a very important question. I know you're right.

What can I say? First of all, these attempts are not the first, they are known, and the enemy's aspirations are clear to us. Unfortunately, this attempt is not an isolated one and not only on military personnel. I have already told your American colleague that there were attempts on journalists and public figures—just remember the murder of Dugina.

What is it? These are signs of the terrorist nature of the regime operating in Kiev. But this, of course, means that our relevant law enforcement and special services miss these strikes, they missed these strikes. What can I say here? We need to improve this work and avoid such severe punctures for us. That's all.

Alexander Gamov: Thank you.

Dmitry Peskov: You know, I saw a very popular young blogger. Now he was up.

Vladimir Paper: Mr President, hello!

My name is Vlad Paper, I am a well-known video blogger. My social networks have more than 80 million subscribers, mostly young people.

As we know, young people now spend a lot of time on the Internet, on average from five to eight hours every day, half of this time they spend watching video content. And I, in turn, like many other authors, am engaged in the development and active development of our Russian platforms, for example, such as VK Video. Yes, these sites are not so big now, but they show good, steady growth and provide really high-quality service.

In this regard, the question is: why block YouTube, if our sites are already doing well? They are competitive and offer excellent conditions, an alternative for authors. Moreover, you can upload content there and broadcast our ideas and meanings to a wider audience than just the Russian-speaking ones.

Another important question. As I said earlier, I am known and watched by almost all the children of our country. I'll say more: I became a father myself this year.

Vladimir Putin: Congratulations.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: And congratulate your wife, it's all due to her.

V. Paper: Required.

Yes, and tell me, I, as a person whose videos actually grow a whole generation, what values should I convey to the audience? Or maybe that I definitely shouldn't broadcast to the audience? What do you personally think, what ideas and meanings should be led by young people? So to speak, give a parting word–-we will take a note and work hard.

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: First of all, about the deceleration of YouTube. Here, perhaps, there are more questions on the YouTube side than on our side.

Sorry, first: Vlad Paper is your pseudonym?

V. Paper: That's my real last name.

Vladimir Putin: Okay, great. Paper in the famous game is stronger than stone, so I congratulate you--80 million [subscribers], you said, right? This is, of course, a unique result. This means that the content you create meets the expectations of those 80 million people. This is the result of your creative work, and I congratulate you on this.

As for braking, what's the point? Google is the owner of YouTube, when it created its own network, it also created the corresponding "subsidiaries" in Russia–-legal entities that it pays, created the corresponding services that need to be serviced. Having created these "subsidiaries", he worked with them, and after the West began to introduce various restrictions and sanctions, Google practically stopped or reduced their funding, reduced the supply of relevant equipment here and, thus, created certain problems for itself. This is the first one.

Second, YouTube and Google must comply with our laws and avoid any online scams, namely: they must not use the network and abuse the network to achieve the political goals of their governments.

What do I mean? In the search engine, a person starts looking for something, some topic–-culture, music, and then instead of culture and music, some things come out that have nothing to do with culture or music but are propaganda of some political platform. Or they start practically withdrawing the names of our artists, bloggers, politicians, and so on from circulation.

All this is a violation of the relevant laws of the Russian Federation. Roskomnadzor makes claims against them accordingly, and regulatory organizations make claims, and they do the right thing. Therefore, they must choose: either they comply with our laws and, probably, then they may fall under some restrictions in their own country, but then let them work there; or, if they want to work here, let them act in accordance with the laws of the Russian Federation.

And what you said–-a holy place, as we say, is never empty, competition is growing: VK, Telegram, and Rutube are all developing. Therefore, if Google and YouTube, realizing this, somehow change their way of working, then they will not have any problems.

Now about what to educate, how to do it, what not to do. You know, I am sure that these tips are useless. People like you–-especially now that you're a father and you've got a baby–-probably have an increased sense of responsibility. This is a responsibility to your child, to his future and to the country where your child will live. And this sense of responsibility will orient you--you are smart, modern people—it will orient you even better than I will, about what is useful for our children in the future, and what is harmful and unacceptable, and what you need to fight–-not at my direction, but at the call of your heart.

Dmitry Peskov: Thank you.

I totally undeservedly overlooked TV-3, I see.

Vladimir Putin: May I interrupt you for a moment? Since they said about children, the girl is sitting—"Deception of families with children." What is the deception?

A. Suvorova: Apparently, not about the benefits, because we have already talked about them.

Vladimir Putin: I don't know, I thought I was talking about them.

Elena Usmanova: I'll tell you in a moment.

Hello, Vladimir Vladimirovich!

My name is Elena Usmanova, business newspaper of Tatarstan "Business Online", again Tatarstan.

First of all, I really want to thank you on behalf of Kazan for having such an honor to host the BRICS summit, but my question, as you can see from the poster, is quite different.

In Tatarstan, a group of scammers deceived hundreds of families who dreamed of their home. They took out a preferential mortgage with state support, but the houses were never built for them.

Please tell us if they will help defrauded individual entrepreneurs, as they once helped defrauded real estate investors. It turns out that now people continue to pay mortgages actually for air, while the state continues to transfer state support to banks actually for those houses that do not exist. When will they help people instead of banks?

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: Listen to me. It's not about the banks at all. We have created a corresponding system of escrow accounts, where people, if they take out a mortgage, transfer money–-to escrow accounts, and this money is frozen until people get their square meters. Where did they send the money?

Elena Usmanova: No, it's about residential housing, that is, at home.

Vladimir Putin: IHS is the same thing.

Elena Usmanova: At that time, apparently, this did not work.

Vladimir Putin: Our residential housing is fully covered by mortgage lending: in rural areas, as I said, it is 3 percent, and in those 110 and 105 million square meters that we built last year, 50 percent of residential housing is provided. But the money must be in escrow accounts. Where did people transfer this money and why, if these are not escrow accounts? I don't even know what you're talking about right now.

Elena Usmanova: This is the case in Tatarstan. Hundreds of families actually found themselves in such situations.

Vladimir Putin: Where did they transfer the money, can you tell me?

Elena Usmanova: I won't tell you about these subtleties here. I know what they took…

Vladimir Putin: Listen to me, what is your name?

E. Usmanova: Elena.

Vladimir Putin: Lena, but these subtleties are important.

Elena Usmanova: There were definitely no escrow accounts there.

Vladimir Putin: Look, what about it? Lenochka, this may have something to do with what is being done with the money of our citizens, when they are being lured out of their accounts.

Let's deal with this without fail, because this particular case will need to be projected onto other possible cases of this kind and prevent this fraud.

I don't even know what you're talking about right now. Please give us more detailed information. All right, Lena?" This is an extremely important thing.

Because what's the point? The fact is that we still have unfinished housing. But what can I say? That the money that came to escrow accounts, their total volume is almost or even slightly more than 7 trillion rubles. This is more than 65 percent of what is collected and what is needed to complete the housing that is financed by citizens in 2025. I can almost guarantee that this housing will be built. And no one will be left without apartments, because the groundwork is done. The money is in these accounts and they are protected. If we are talking about some cases without using escrow accounts, please give us this information, we need to deal with this.

Thank you.

Dmitry Peskov: Yes, we will take this information.

We would like to give the floor to TV-3, Mr Putin.

Vladimir Putin: Come on, there is Turkey.

Dmitry Peskov: Excuse me, let's talk about Turkey.

Vladimir Putin: We will definitely get back to you in a moment.

A. Jura: Ali Jura, Anadolu Agency.

Mr. President, Israel is violating international rights by killing tens of thousands of people, including children of Palestine and Lebanon. Now Israel is taking advantage of the situation in the region to occupy Syria and violate its sovereignty. How would you comment on Israel's actions? Did you have a conversation with President Erdogan about the region in general? Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: We are in constant contact with President Erdogan. I don't remember the last time I talked to him, but of course we discussed the situation in the region, in the Middle East.

The attitude of President Erdogan and Turkey to the events taking place in the Middle East is well known to all. And our position is well known both in Lebanon and in Palestine. Our position is not affected by current market conditions. We have always believed this and now believe that the Palestinian problem can only be solved by removing the causes of its occurrence. It was decided by the UN Security Council at one time that two states should be formed–-Israel and Palestine. Israel was created, but Palestine has not actually been created yet. That's the whole problem.

Moreover, so-called illegal settlement activity continues on the Israeli side. I do not know what Israel's ultimate goals are in the Gaza Strip, but this is only reprehensible. We have repeatedly done this at almost all levels, starting with the public level and our position in the United Nations Security Council. There's nothing to add here.

The same goes for Lebanon.

What about Syria? I think that, frankly, Turkey is doing everything possible to ensure its security on its southern borders in the course of the development of the situation in Syria, to create conditions for the return of refugees from its territory to other territories that are concentrated in the territory of Syria, which are actually under the control of Turkey, to push back, perhaps, the Kurdish formations from the border. All this is probably possible and may even be done to some extent, to some extent. But still, the main beneficiary of the events taking place in Syria, the main beneficiary, in my opinion, is Israel.

And you can have any attitude to what Israel is doing, Russia condemns the seizure of any Syrian territories, this is obvious, our position here is not subject to any adjustment, but Israel also solves security issues for itself. Here is the line on the Golan Heights, a well-known line, Israel has advanced along the front by 62-63 kilometers to a depth of 20-25 kilometers. It entered the fortifications that were created for Syria by the Soviet Union, such as the Maginot Line. There are such, you know, serious fortifications, really.

We hope that Israel will eventually withdraw from the territory of Syria, but now it is sending additional troops there. I think there are already several thousand troops there. And I have the impression that they are not only not going to leave, but are going to strengthen there.

Moreover, the local population has already asked to be included in the Jewish state. This will be a different problem even then. If everything that happens leads to the disintegration of Syria, then these are issues that will have to be resolved by the local population in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the right of nations to self-determination. This is a complex issue, and it is not for today's discussion.

Of course, we know that Turkey has a problem with the Kurdistan Workers ' Party that has been going on for decades. I hope that there will be no escalation, but some European politicians recently told me at meetings that after the First World War, the Kurds were promised their own state, they were deceived, and so on.

There are dozens of millions of Kurds in this region – in Turkey, in Iran, in Iraq-they live compactly, how many Kurds are there? You probably know better than I do, but at least 30-35 million, right? This is a serious Kurdish problem, and the Kurds are serious guys, serious fighters, they left Manbij, in my opinion, but they fought to the last. That's what they do.

And we need to solve the Kurdish problem. It was necessary to solve this problem in Syria under President Assad, and now it is necessary to solve it with the authorities that control the territory of Syria, and Turkey needs to somehow ensure its security. We all understand that. This is not for our meeting today, so as not to waste time.

I just want to say that there will be many problems, but we are on the side of international law and for the sovereignty of all states while respecting their territorial integrity, meaning Syria, including the position of the current authorities that control the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic today.

In this sense, we are on their side. By the way, we are in contact with them, we are in contact with all the groups, including the main ones that are currently controlling the situation in Syria.

Dmitry Peskov: They promised TV-3, especially the military commander.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, I'm sorry.

Alexander Malkevich: Alexander Malkevich, "Final Program" on TV-3.

First, briefly: the soldiers asked to convey their gratitude. Last week, you met with members of the Human Rights Council and supported the idea of creating a federal museum of the Northern Military District. Preserving historical memory—especially in creative forms–-is our "media Hazel" in the information war that the West is trying to wage with us.

From the residents of St. Petersburg, separate words of gratitude for awarding the high honorary title "Guards" to our legendary Leningrad regiment.

Now a question about the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation. Created in April 2023 by your Decree, it has been operating for a year and a half. How do you rate the foundation's performance this year on a five-point or ten-point scale? Next year, what are your main goals for the foundation? The main criterion for the effectiveness of the fund for you.

Vladimir Putin: As for the work of the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation, in my opinion, it was created in June, not April, but this is not important. I started working in June.

It was created after I had a meeting with mothers of participants in a special military operation, with widows. I realized that the usual methods of supporting children who need this help and were seriously injured, disabled, and the families of fallen heroes are not enough, we need to create some kind of separate mechanism, a separate tool, including for those who lose their ties with the Armed Forces. The Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation was created for this purpose: in order to support children who leave the military service, but require careful attention from the state, and not formal attention, but an individual approach to each person in each family. The Foundation was created for this purpose.

What are its tasks? Solving social issues, receiving various benefits, payments for those who need prosthetics and have received a disability, in the organization of this prosthetics.

We must pay tribute to the foundation: they are well done, they order not just any product, they order the entire service. This is connected with the training of children, with the selection of the appropriate object for prosthetics, they look further on the maintenance, and so that it is not burdensome, so that you do not need to travel across the country for maintenance–-we have a huge country. This problem still exists, but they are working on it. This was all their task.

I talked to Anna Tsivileva recently, and she says that now you know what appears in the queries? What really pleased me is that there are requests from the guys about employment, and this is one of the most important areas of activity, by the way. But now there are more and more requests about playing sports and participating in cultural events. That's great, of course. You see, this means that there is still some trend to change the situation for the better, it is still taking place, it has been outlined. It is very good.

But the most important task is, of course, employment. I have already said: young guys, their eyes are burning, and there is training, many people want to get such training. In modern conditions, of course, it is possible to remain in the Armed Forces, such a decision has been made, but not only to work in military enlistment offices, where, by the way, the income level is not so large, rather modest income level. But you can work in the IT field, you can work in medicine, but you can work anywhere, you can also work in sports–-both in military sports and in such civilian sports.

There are a lot of ways to find yourself, and there are more and more such opportunities, taking into account modern technologies and the wishes of a particular person. They are working on this, and they are generally working successfully. You know, in such a large-scale work, there are always some problems. But there are a lot of people who work there who are directly related to the special military operation: either, unfortunately, the widows of our dead children, the mothers of our children who are still fighting there–-in general, these are people who are not indifferent to what is happening. In this sense, and perhaps for this reason–-and, by the way, the guys who have returned from the front are working there themselves–-this is probably largely why the work is developing quite efficiently.

I did not want to agree to the fact that the head of the Tsivileva Foundation, Anna Yevgenyevna, moved to work in the Ministry of Defense, but then I still gave in to the proposal of Minister Belousov, because he told me that he thought it would be advisable to organize such "seamless" work later, that is, with those guys who remain in the Armed Forces. Forces, within the Ministry of Defense, and with those who are still fighting, but need some support measures, and with those who have already gone beyond the perimeter of the Ministry of Defense. We need to make such a "seamless" work.

And just recently, in the summer, in my opinion, they created such a social center. And now this social center of the Ministry of Defense and the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation organize their work in the framework of a "one–stop shop", where both people who remain in the Ministry of Defense and those who have already left, so to speak, the perimeter of the Ministry, there they combine work in these two areas. There are probably a lot of problems, but in general, this is how the work is configured.

You know, they also took part in making decisions about injuries. We all received three million rubles each: for a small one, such as a small scratch, or even for a small injury, and those who received a serious injury related to disability--all received three million. The servicemen themselves asked the Ministry of Defense and the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation to change this system. And we started paying those who were seriously injured four million.

But when all this was reported to me, I saw that behind the perimeter of this payment there were guys who were seriously injured, disabled–-they received three million. And now we've started paying four. Well, naturally, I came up with a simple idea: those who received three, it means that the state did not pay them a million extra. I said, no, you have to pay everyone retroactively. Now all the guys get this extra million, and they get it quite actively.

This work is also organized by the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation.

D. Kulko: I suggest that we return to the appeals of Russians. You must have seen it.

Vladimir Putin: I'm sorry, Ksenia keeps pulling her arm. Please, Ksenia.

Konstantin Sobchak: Vladimir Vladimirovich, Ksenia Sobchak, Watch Out Media.

You just touched on a very important topic about "one window" and such opportunities for the Ministry of Defense. I wanted to talk about this problem from a different angle.

We, in particular, and many other people, journalists, show business stars, just not indifferent citizens are doing various projects. In particular, for two years we have been working on a large project to help people from the Belgorod and Kursk regions, our fellow citizens who suffered from the attacks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. We have already managed to help more than 600 families this year.

I think there are a lot of such caring people. It would be very good, as you think, to help in this, to also create a "single window" in order to combine these public, civil initiatives with social workers and with the state structure that already exists. That is, to do this on a voluntary basis, but in such a way that there is a possibility of this "single window" across the entire spectrum of assistance. Because mostly we face problems of employment in new places, with the problem of placement in kindergartens and other institutions for families who temporarily relocate with their children. Was it possible to create such a "single window" for such civic initiatives?

Vladimir Putin: First of all, I want to thank you for doing this, because it is extremely important to help specific people. First.

Second. Of course, when it is done by volunteers, for which I want to express my gratitude to all the volunteers, they do not just work, they risk themselves. Unfortunately, there are also losses among volunteers. When they do this, then, of course, they reach out to a specific person and sometimes feel more subtly what the state is doing, and where something fails, as people say, where something does not work out.

Of course, here we have, as I have already said in relation to the Kursk region, there is simply a program for the restoration of the Kursk region, for which funds are allocated. They are practically highlighted already. The same thing will happen and is happening, of course, in other border regions: both Belgorod and Bryansk. No one will be left without attention here. You probably feel it more subtly and acutely.

I will think about how to do this myself, and I will definitely ask our relevant departments and the Defense Ministry, and we will talk with the governor about how to combine these efforts: create a "one window" or some kind of tool for coordinating efforts. We will definitely think about it. Ksenia, thank you.

I don't have a direct answer right now, but the question is absolutely correct, and we will think about how to do it.

Thank you.

Dmitry Kulko: Mr President, I suggest that we continue the topic of free military service and support for military personnel and their families.

You probably saw that among the requests that came to the program, there were also requests to help deal with the accrual of payments to families and military personnel. There were also requests for help to find people who are now missing, either there is no contact with them, or, according to available information from relatives, they were captured.

Vladimir Vladimirovich, can we give a separate order to the Ministry of Defense to deal with these cases? It's hard for people to stay in the dark. Is there any way to adjust the system of informing military families?

Vladimir Putin: This is a very sensitive issue for many people.

It's one thing when a person is at war, God grant that everything will be fine.

There are different types of payments. They are generally decent: these are so-called combat missions, in some cases so-called business trips for those who were in some regions before the start of a special military operation, and this was considered as a business trip, accruals for participation in offensive, assault operations, for participation in the organization of defense. The difference is small, but it's clear why.

When a person disappears from the radar, there is a question of supporting families. We have discussed this issue, and the Minister of Defense has had this issue before, and he is aware of this problem. There are at least two things to do here.

First, we need to speed up or shorten the time frame for making final decisions. Because there is no information, families stop receiving appropriate payments, because the person is not present, he does not participate in either offensive or defensive activities, does not receive combat and so on, and the amount of support for families is reduced.

Here the Ministry of Defense together with the Government must make a different decision: what can replace at least some of these payments? There are different ideas: formulate about some kind of child benefit or make some other decision. But we need to make a decision on temporary measures, and speed up the decision on the final closure of the issue. I won't go into the details right now. In general, the Ministry of Defense is aware of this and is working on it.

Anna Suvorova: Meanwhile, we have been working for more than three hours, almost three hours and ten minutes.

We have a lot of questions, but we receive different ones. I suggest making a short blitz. Dmitry, how do you see it? Getting started?

Dmitry Kulko: I'll start with a question from Georgy Arefyev from the Smolensk Region: why do senior officials ask for your instructions at the meetings you hold, so that they can start doing something themselves?

Vladimir Putin: There is no need to swear at officials here.

What's the matter? The fact is that the decision-making process is not easy, and when the question comes to me, it is usually such questions, such problems. There are different points of view on the solution of approaches: some colleagues believe that it is necessary to solve it in this way, others-in this way. And errands, as a rule, are needed in order to decide. If there is a dispute, if there is a fork in the road, as they say in the Government when solving a certain issue, then my colleagues come to me and ask me to make a final, as they say, commanding decision. They ask for instructions so that nothing is forgotten, the final decision is formulated in the instruction--go ahead, everyone starts working.

There are a lot of bureaucratic quirks, sometimes everyone just agrees, but you need it to be put on paper and executed as a regulatory act.

A. Suvorova: The next question is: "Who would you like to have a cup of tea with among the living or departed personalities?"

Vladimir Putin: As a living person, I would like to meet my friends and people close to me more often. And have tea with them to drink, chat, talk.

If we talk about the world leaders who have passed away, I had contacts, not so close, but nevertheless for quite a long, long time with the German Chancellor [Helmut] Kohl.

He was an international figure, not only because he was a big man, but also because of his actions and beliefs. Literally after the first meeting with him in 1993, and for a long time, and when he had already ceased to be chancellor, he came to visit me infrequently, but regularly. I had the pleasure--indeed, the pleasure--of talking to him.

He was, as they used to say in the Soviet Union, a major political figure of our time. He did a lot for his homeland, and he did a lot for the Germans. He was a major European and world politician.

I recall with interest many of our conversations. They were very helpful to me. I say without any exaggeration--very useful.

A very interesting person was the President of France [Jacques] Chirac. Just interesting. In general, he was, you know, like an encyclopedist, like an academician: what you don't ask, he knows everything. I'm curious, really. He had his own opinion on everything, and he strictly adhered to it. He was a very correct, gallant man. I also learned a lot from him, to be honest, just as I heard a lot from Kohl and noticed it for myself. And from Chirac, too: his manner of behavior, the intelligence of his behavior, and so on.

A slightly different person, but also very warm in communication, but active, very grasping was Berlusconi. Like Chirac, he has done a great deal to develop Russian-Italian relations. Even despite what is happening today, we feel that Italian society has a certain sympathy for Russia, just as we have sympathy for Italy.

All of them have made a very significant contribution to the development of bilateral relations and to world politics. It was interesting to meet them. They were individuals with their own opinions. All this was focused on achieving maximum results for their own countries, on strengthening the sovereignty of their states.

I still have a lot of [friends] in Asia, and I've already talked about my friendly relations with…

A. Suvorov: We talked to China, yes.

Vladimir Putin: With China and with India. I have a very warm relationship with the Prime Minister of India. There is someone to communicate with. But, just like any other person, I want to say once again, first of all, these are my relatives, and some of my friends have been preserved since childhood, so I really value this.

Anna Suvorova: Next question.

Dmitry Kulko: Mr President, I have either a question or a request for advice from Tatyana Prokhorova from Chuvashia: "Do you have deposits in banks? If so, in which cases?".

Vladimir Putin: Initially, I had a deposit in the Savings Bank, which I think was preserved there, but then, when the Bank of Russia was put under sanctions, it was the first financial institution, I just ostentatiously transferred my money there. And, in my opinion, the salary is transferred there.

A. Suvorova: The next question: "Did Elvira Nabiullina tell you what the Central Bank's rate will be tomorrow?" I think this is interesting not only for Valery Semenov from the Pskov Region, who wrote this question.

Vladimir Putin: No, it doesn't tell me what the bid will be. She herself probably doesn't know this yet, because they discuss it at the board of directors, at their Komsomol cell, and during the discussion they make the final decision. But I hope that it will be balanced and meet the requirements of today.

D. Kulko: Such a question: "Vladimir Zhirinovsky's forecasts about the development of the situation in the Middle East and the South Caucasus are coming true. Will other predictions of the LDPR founder come true?"

Vladimir Putin: Naturally, I was well acquainted with Vladimir Volfovich. He is not a fortune teller, he was not a fortune teller, but he loved outrageous things and enjoyed doing them effectively. But he was a very erudite and very well-trained person, and he was a Middle East specialist in general, he was really an expert. And everything he said is really coming true, because he said it based on an analysis of what was happening in our country and in the world, and predicted the development of the situation. It's coming true, really.

But this is exactly the forecast based on real knowledge and on the experience that he had as a specialist.

Anna Suvorova: I suggest that we return to the blitz a little later, at the end of the program.

Dmitry Peskov: The blitz can go on indefinitely.

A. Suvorova: Yes, 2,200 thousand questions, of course.

Dmitry Peskov: I don't quite see what's on your paper, but you've been holding out your hand for a long time.

Vladimir Putin: There's a masked man. You're next, okay?

S. Shevchenko: Can I say yes?

Vladimir Putin: Please, please.

S. Shevchenko: Svetlana Shevchenko, Novosibirsk, Novosibirsk region.

The fact is that we are an agricultural and industrial region, we produce products with added value for export, high-quality products. However, recently we have an acute shortage of young personnel in rural areas. We really feel this: despite the rural mortgage, despite the development of rural areas, there are not enough personnel.

Vladimir Vladimirovich, what advice would you give us, what measures should we take to attract new young people and keep those who already live in rural areas?

Vladimir Putin: This is a very important question, because agriculture is one of the key sectors of the Russian economy. As I have already said, it is developing at a good pace—three percent a year. And we can't help but be pleased with what is happening in agriculture.

I have already given this example, if I do not confuse anything, I will tell you. In 1986, the Soviet Union bought 35 million tons of grain. Last year, we exported 56 million tons. Back in 2000, we started exporting, but it was 1.2 or 1.3 million tons, and now it is 66 million tons. It just seems impossible, but it's happening.

Look, we are one of the three largest food exporters to the world market, and we are ranked first in the world in terms of wheat. And despite the fact that we had a record harvest last year – 148 million tons, now it will be 130 million, but this is also a very large harvest, we are stable: over 10 years we have over 100 million tons and a stable, very large resource for export operations. As I have already said, we have completely closed down our meat business–-100 percent--and export it.

There are problems related to milk and fruit and vegetable products, but there is also a development program. Everything is gradual, everything is growing.

One of the most important problems is social issues in rural areas: housing, culture, and education. There is a program of socio-economic development of the village, which is generally provided with funding. Of course, this is probably not enough, but the most important thing is to increase the level of well-being of people who live in rural areas and increase their income. All other issues will be resolved from this. I am sure that we will continue to move in this direction.

As for personnel, this is also one of the key components. Traditionally, since the days of the Soviet Union, we have always paid great attention to personnel, but now work in rural areas is becoming more and more interesting, it is already an industry. It requires high-class, highly qualified specialists, and at different levels: both in the field of biology, and in the field of chemistry, traditional agronomists, and so on, in the field of genetics.

We have genetics, for example, the field of genetics-in general, the most important area, but it is now developing at the fastest pace just in the context and in the interests of agriculture.

In my opinion, this is all very interesting, and we need to talk about it not only at events of this kind once a year, but also to talk about it constantly and create conditions for young people to come and work with interest in this sector of the economy.

The state, for its part, will do everything possible to attract applicants who are needed for this industry, and manufacturers should do what they do in other industries, that is, create conditions for directing people to train in a targeted way and already look at the training, select personnel for themselves, and provide them with the necessary services. their work at enterprises and production practices. We will certainly ensure all this together.

Dmitry Peskov: Mr President, we promised a masked journalist.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, please.

Alexander Knyazev: I've already taken off my mask. I just take the subway, like most people probably do here.

Knyazev Andrey, " Arguments of the week. Uzbekistan", on a volunteer basis, and head of the studio of young and adult journalists and bloggers "Mir Molodykh", Moscow.

My question is: 45 years this year will be like I started in journalism, I started in Uzbekistan, the last 30 years-here. I see that paper journalism is dying. Maybe bloggers like Vlad Paper will help newspapers that are independent, that do not depend on the state or businessmen, but only on readers.

What do you think should be done to ensure that at least the weekly paper press does not die? Because the bloggers that we have now, they are not always smart, not always sincere, not always good. This is a short question.

And the second question I asked many officials, including Ms. Zakharova, the press secretary of the Foreign Minister. She says: go to Vladimir Vladimirovich on a direct line. That's why I'm trying.

Very many of our scientists and very many people who see the future say that within 10 to 12 years, the countries of Europe, Japan, the United States and beyond, and the continent of America, may go under water or die, and people will remain, but they will start asking us, Mr Putin, and they are against us. Maybe we should tell them about it in advance.

This is, of course, hypothetical. But there are these forecasts. I read, I read a lot and mostly newspapers, and not all sorts of Telegram channels-liars and all the rest.

I have two questions for you. Sorry about two.

Vladimir Putin: I don't even know if I should say it or not. Tell. You know this well-known anecdote, a joke when a family is sitting at the table, and a little boy solves a crossword puzzle and says: name a three-letter word. Mom smacked him on the forehead with a spoon. He says: why, it's a house! The father takes it, the wife-boom: you have to think about the house! You have to think about the house.

You just said that some continents will go under water. And we should think about what to do with these people. You have to think about the house!

A. Knyazev: So they will run to us, Vladimir Vladimirovich! What are we going to do with them?

Vladimir Putin: I've been listening to you so carefully. You're such an energetic person, let me finish. thank you very much.

Why am I saying this? Because the forecasts you mentioned are not ephemeral calculations. This is done by serious scientists who say that permafrost will melt. There are huge problems for the environment here, because from here there are more emissions into the atmosphere than from all cars combined in the whole world. This means that if they continue to melt, then the coastal regions of the Russian Federation may also be under threat.

First of all, we have entire villages, cities on stilts that are driven into the permafrost. Something's already crackling in there. This is what we should think about, our coastal cities, including even St. Petersburg, do you understand? We built the dam, which we've been dreaming about since the time of Peter the Great. But we must think about what will happen next with coastal cities. The house is the first thing to think about.

A. Knyazev: And about paper journalism.

Vladimir Putin: Now,now. If someone resettles with us, we have 2.3 percent unemployment, it is absent. We are talking about labor migration and the problems that arise in this regard.

You're right, think about it. If there is any serious influx, we need to think about what to do with it, where and how to place people. We are the largest country by territory in the world, but do you know how many people live beyond the Ural Mountains? 12 million, or something. What is this? We have a place to settle people.

In principle, you need to think in advance about social and other infrastructure, about the rules. This is not really an idle question. You put it all so outrageously, but in fact there is a question. I repeat once again: first of all, we need to think about the problems that arise in our country.

Paper journalism and assistance from Vlad Paper. I think that such guys will certainly be happy to support you, especially since we are talking about paper journalism in this case.

I think that paper journalism will have its place in this huge changing world, just like the paper book. There is also an opportunity to look through the gadget, everything is presented there in a good font, in different languages. I myself, to be honest, sometimes use it. But picking up a book is another story. Not only because there are pictures there, although it is also interesting to see, and a book illustration is sometimes also a work of art.

Pick up the same "Izvestia" or "Komsomolskaya Pravda", look through it, dig around–-this is some kind of buzz, right? I hope that those who are engaged in paper journalism will also take this into account and will continue to maintain this interest among the public, which is probably still there.

The most important thing, of course, is the content, the content, because whatever the medium, the most important thing, as Vlad Paper said, is what's inside, the content. That's the most important thing. If paper media has decent and interesting content compared to some Internet husk, it will not go anywhere, it will not die.

Anna Suvorova: Mr President, let's think about a healthy home first of all. The fact is that this is one of the topics that most often interest Russians. If you look at the statistics, in fact, the second place [is]: they ask about the lack of doctors in polyclinics, and often the lack of certain medicines.

I propose now to withdraw Irina Yuryevna Sycheva from Nizhny Novgorod by telephone.

Irina Yurievna, good afternoon! Your question.

Irina Sycheva: Hello, dear Vladimir Vladimirovich!

My name is Irina Sycheva, I'm from Nizhny Novgorod.

I appeal to you to pay attention to our free medicine. First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the renovated premises of the polyclinics. Thank God, they are being restored to a divine appearance.

But polyclinics are sorely lacking narrow specialists and district therapists – doctors go to paid clinics. And what should we, pensioners and low-income citizens, do?

The second month I can't make an appointment for my father to see a cardiologist, he is after a heart attack, the doctor sees him only once a week. There is no electronic record, as the doctor is not on a full-time basis. For a ticket, you need to take a queue at five or six in the morning, stand on the street, and it's not a fact that you will get a ticket. The queue is on the street until seven in the morning, that is, until the opening of the clinic. Many older people can't handle this challenge. We hope that you will understand this issue.

Thank you very much in advance.

Vladimir Putin: Irina Yuryevna, medical issues–-I see them in the context of the whole range of issues–-are in second place, in my opinion... yes, second place. This is always a very important issue–-and in all countries, by the way, and in countries with so-called developed market economies--even today, perhaps, it is even more acute than in our country. But why think about them? We should think about the house, I agree.

So thank you for noting the renovated clinic and telling us about it. This means that something is happening after all.

And we have a whole program–-I'll tell you what it is now. Because the main problem is with personnel. This problem is in primary health care. We have hospitals, and it is well known that doctors and specialists work there–-there is practically no problem with personnel, but in the primary care there is. But this leads to a clear conclusion–-this is primarily a question of health care organization in the regions of the Russian Federation.

If we look at the turnover of hospital beds, we will see that they are not completely filled during the year. At the same time, there is a problem in the primary healthcare sector: in polyclinics, in district hospitals, where they work every day. And it is the task of local health authorities to distribute the burden. This is the first one.

The second is related to personnel training. We are trying, the Ministry of Health is trying to attract as many applicants as possible, and this process is underway. We have now started paying doctors and nurses 50 and 29 thousand extra in small localities, and this also matters. We see for the first time in previous years an influx of, in my opinion, 17.5 thousand specialists, but they are still not enough.

So, back to the health organization, we need to continue working to strengthen the primary care system. And all this, of course, needs to be done at a much greater, better pace than it has been so far. I can't disagree with that. But in your particular case, my colleagues will let me know if you have any data, right?

A. Suvorova: Yes.

Vladimir Putin: We will try–-not try but absolutely help with your dad.

Dmitry Kulko: Let's continue the topic of medicine, which is an important topic.

Compared to last year, the number of complaints about the shortage of medicines has decreased this year, but nevertheless they are there and mainly relate to receiving preferential drugs on prescriptions.

For example, a pensioner from Kerch writes to us: "I have cancer. I was prescribed free medications, the last time I received them was three months ago. I called the hotline in Simferopol and was told that there were no medicines. Now I have to buy them myself. Help me figure it out."

And it's not just about expensive drugs-–especially noticeable was the situation with the shortage of regular saline in pharmacies. And also people suffering from diabetes, complain of interruptions in the receipt of insulin. Here, for example, are a few messages.

Rashida Gainutdinova writes: "I haven't been able to get insulin in the city of Neftekamsk for four months. Previously, I received it in the hospital, but now they don't give it out. I can't buy it at the pharmacy either."

Vitaly Mayorov, city of Atkarsk, Saratov region: "I have been suffering from type 1 diabetes for 50 years. I don't remember such a poor supply of insulin and test strips for all the time."

Vladimir Vladimirovich, what is the current stage in the development of domestic pharmacology and how do you assess the availability of basic medicines for the treatment of cancer and other acute diseases?

Vladimir Putin: The issue is extremely important as well as the availability of specialists and doctors.

Pharma is the most important area of our activity. You know, back when I was Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, back in 2008, we started working on developing our own pharmaceutical industry.

In 2008, we started talking about this and started creating certain programs. In 2009, these programs were formulated. They were called differently, but the essence is the same: the development of our own pharmaceutical industry. Now I don't remember how much money we planned or invested back then, but the pharmaceutical industry itself developed mainly with the support and assistance of the state, with the help, as a rule, of the federal budget.

Today, our pharmaceutical companies—in the last period of time–-have begun to invest their own resources in development, and these are quite large investments, amounting to tens of billions of rubles, 40 billion, or something.

We have our own development programs, we have started to create our own drugs based on our own molecules, we have started to create our own substances, which we did not have before. We have started to produce complex medicines, including for the fight against cancer. It is developing very well in St. Petersburg. On insulin, too.

As for the test strips and so on-well, it's just, you know, failures, shortcomings in the activities of the relevant departments and on the ground. In general, money is allocated in full for all these drugs. This is a matter of organizing trades and making timely decisions.

And of course, I will definitely talk to my colleagues both in the Government and in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation: we need to do everything on time and correctly understand what the market needs are and how they are developing.

We have a pharma development program, which is now included in the technology leadership project. There is a separate area of this work on drugs. As for vital and essential medicines, by 2030 we should reach 90 percent of the supply of our own medicines, and 40 percent for medical devices.

In general, this work is moving, and it is moving at a good pace. But, probably, the work is huge and there are these failures. Please also give us [data]. We will definitely look, that is, not for sure, but for sure they are there.

You said about insulin: in general, we have always had enough insulin. Saline is nothing at all. But I know – I try to keep an eye on this, of course: as for these saline solutions, it's not about saline solutions, it's about packaging. There, just in time, two departments–-the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Health--did not make a decision on the prices for this package. For manufacturers, the cost that was offered became unprofitable–-they went so far as to start buying this packaging abroad.

To date, all decisions have been made, and I really hope that there will be no such failures. For this particular case, we'll see, of course.

Thank you.

D. Kulko: Dmitry Sergeevich, we are passing the baton.

Dmitry Peskov: Thank you. Let's go to the gym.

Replica (from the audience).

Dmitry Peskov: You know, we won't get that far.

Vladimir Putin: Come on, please. But let's not do that anyway. Now there will be chaos then, and we will not be able to cope with it. You are welcome.

K. Aksenova: Thank you. Excuse me.

Ksenia Aksenova, TV channel "Spas".

I will ask questions that are united by the phrase of a person whom I know you respect very much and whom the entire Russian Church loves. This is the confessor of our Patriarch, Elder Eli (Nozdrin).

At the beginning of the special operation, he named three conditions for victory: ban abortions, ban swearing and bury Lenin's body.

Three questions on these three points.

The first is abortion. Our Patriarch speaks from year to year about removing abortions from compulsory health insurance, because this is not a medical procedure, and it does not cure, but only cripples. The leaders of Russia's traditional religions support our Patriarch in this regard. Tell me, will this be done?

Secondly, you recently exhaustively stated about the mat that this is an anti-prayer and invocation of dark forces. In order not to repeat myself about the mat, I will ask specifically about the dark forces, because Russia is now experiencing a boom in esotericism, occultism, divination, and accessible pornography, and people now spend more money on psychics than on doctors. Porn sites are currently the most visited in our country. Tell me, will there be any measures to limit these obviously dangerous activities?

The third is about the burial of Lenin's body. I'm not talking about evaluating its performance right now. You have given it more than once, and specifically about the fulfillment of his will and his family and the fact that an embalmed body in a Mausoleum is an absolutely pagan and God-defying custom. Tell me, please, what prevents you from putting Lenin's body in the ground?

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: The questions are clearly not for an extended press conference and not for a direct line. They are all extremely sensitive and sharp.

As for abortion, of course, we should think about the issue of ensuring that religious beliefs do not suffer, and we would solve issues related to demography. But at the same time, we need to think about the level of well-being of Russian families with children, their future and the right of women to make some decisions. This is a subtle issue that is not solved during a press conference, just like porn sites and so on.

You see, someone is unhappy that Youtube is slowing down. You say, "in our country." Porn sites are watched, in my opinion, all over the world. First porn sites, and then sort of order a cutlet, you know? All over the world. This is not only our problem, but also the problem of many other countries.

The answer can be what? In general, any bans have the right to exist, but you should always offer an alternative that is more interesting than a porn site. So that a person would get in there, open a porn site and say: I've already seen this, I want to see something else. To capture a person. (Laughter in the audience.)

The same applies to the burial of Lenin's body. At some point, perhaps, society will approach this. But today, especially in Russia, we should not take a single step that would divide our society. That's my point.

In general, Ilya, of course, is right. I love him and always listen to what he says. I know, he told me about it.

Dmitry Peskov: Can we go to that sector?

Vladimir Vladimirovich, there is a Kolesnikov who has been forgotten by me. If possible.

Vladimir Putin: Please, Andrey.

Alexey Kolesnikov: Good afternoon!

Andrey Kolesnikov, Kommersant newspaper.

Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon!

Alexey Kolesnikov: Mr President, almost three years of war have passed, and we have all changed a lot during that time. The war changed everyone, everyone. What has changed in you, what did you understand about yourself?

And here's another question. If Dmitry Sergeyevich doesn't mind, just no one asks, they won't ask, but they are curious. Some time ago, as you know, US President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter, who was convicted of making false statements when buying weapons. Everyone spoke out, Ksenia was very animated on this issue, you somehow kept silent. Maybe I do not know, you have nothing to say about this. How do you like this in general?

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: Sometimes they say: silence is gold. It's better to keep quiet.

Thank you for this question, by the way.

As for the fact that Biden pardoned his son, although he promised not to do so, such a subtle thing. There are other examples in the history of our country. Everyone is well aware of the painting "Ivan the Terrible and his son Ivan – - legend or not, as legend or not, what happened to the son of Peter I, with Alexey; or with Stalin—this is not a legend, when Stalin refused the offer to change his son Yakov, who was in captivity, to Field Marshal Paulus, He said: I don't exchange a soldier for a marshal.

You understand that this is a person's decision, but then what was the situation like? In our country, even surrender was considered a betrayal. Why? You can say anything about it. At that time, the country was not facing a possible defeat, but a possible total destruction not only of the country, but of our entire people. Then it was about the survival of an ethnic group, a nation. Measures to fight for victory were tough, if not brutal.

Given this attitude in society, which, apparently, was supported by the head of state, Stalin, and did not give him the opportunity to save his son. He said what he said and did what he did.

As you know, his son was executed in the camp, and Paulus was "used" at the Nuremberg trials. When he entered the hall, everyone gasped–-no one expected to see him there.

But as for Biden, you know, he's a politician, and it's always important whether you're more of a politician or a person. It turned out that Biden has more than one person. I wouldn't blame him for that.

A. Suvorova: There was the first part of the question from Andrey Kolesnikov about the three years of special operation and the continuation of hostilities.

Vladimir Putin: What changed?

Dmitry Peskov: How have you changed in the last three years?

Vladimir Putin: You know, we're all changing, changing every day, every hour. I think that everyone in the audience, and those who listen to us and see us, are also changing. Such a life: everything flows, everything changes. But these three years, more than two, of course, were a serious test for all of us, for the whole country and for me.

You know, I will tell you frankly: we are now joking here, and laughter is heard in the audience, and I began to joke less and almost stopped laughing.

And then there's another thing: I've certainly begun to improve what I think are my skills–-let's call them that--in finding key questions and focusing my attention and energy on solving them.

Dmitry Peskov: We will continue. Let's go to the diametrically opposite sector.

I see RBC. RBC, please.

P. Khimshiashvili: Good afternoon!

Polina Khimshiashvili, RBC.

Literally in continuation of the question that was asked. You said that you began to laugh less, smile less. If you could go back to February 2022, would you change your mind?

Vladimir Putin: Such a hypothetical question: "If it were possible to go back..." You know, if it were possible to look at the situation in 2022, knowing what is happening now, what would I think? That such a decision, which was made at the beginning of 2022, should have been made earlier. This is the first one.

And the second. Knowing this, it was simply necessary to start preparing for these events, including the SMO. After all, the Crimean events, they were just spontaneous, and we also started the events of 2022 without any special preparation for them. But why did we start? Because it was impossible to stand still and wait for the situation to get worse for us. That's what it's all about.

After all, the Kiev authorities have announced that they will not implement the Minsk agreements. They directly stated this, claimed some kind of weapons of mass destruction. We saw that we were deceived about the Minsk agreements, the war and slaughter, the destruction of people in the Donbas, has been going on for eight years. Nothing is happening, we have abandoned the Minsk agreements.

Moreover, we have seen that the military development of these territories has simply begun, with the parallel destruction of everything connected with Russia. It was impossible to stay in the state we were in any longer. They forced us to take these actions. If we knew in advance what would happen, we would certainly need to conduct serious systematic training. That's what I would have meant.

Dmitry Peskov: Dear friends, we are already working for four hours.

Vladimir Putin: Let us give our colleagues the floor. Please give me a microphone.

E. Lazareva: Thank you, Vladimir Vladimirovich.

Hello!

Ekaterina Lazareva, agency URA.RU.

Today you mentioned the European leaders and the new and current American leader.

I have a question like this. In 2025, Russia will celebrate the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, and I know that you are already inviting leaders from different countries. At the same time, if we remember, the anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy was celebrated this year, France did not invite us. There will be commemorative events at Auschwitz in January 2025. Also, as far as I know, we are not invited.

Did you send an invitation to our allies in the anti-Hitler coalition for the Victory Anniversary in 2025 to come to Moscow? Is it important for you that the leaders of the United States, Great Britain, maybe France come to Moscow, or at least representatives of these countries?

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: First, as far as inviting us anywhere is concerned. We're not going anywhere. First of all, we are happy at home. We need to strengthen ourselves, that's the whole point of our work.

Second. We will never forget the sacrifices that our people made on the altar of victory over Nazism. The most important thing is that we do not forget this. And the fact that they are trying to forget it in other countries is natural for today's leaders, because for them this is the line of attack on Russia as a whole–-as if to forget, move, not to remember. But that's their business.

We will be glad to see everyone who wants to come to us to celebrate this significant date. Although I do sign some invitations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs generally deals with this. My position is that we are generally open to anyone who wants to be with us in Moscow these days and celebrate this date.

We will be glad to see everyone, including the participants of the anti-Hitler coalition, whose members made a significant contribution to the solution of the issue of victory over Nazism: both the United States and Great Britain with its northern convoys. And there were also heroic people there, and we love and respect them. Still, in my opinion, the veterans are still alive. British sailors acted really heroically, when landing in the north of France, the Americans fought.

However, their participation and their losses are not comparable with the losses of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War. We have 27 million, and how many in the US? 500 thousand died, in the UK even less-400 thousand, in my opinion, no, although in the First World War they lost 1.5 million. So the contribution to the Victory, of course, is different, but their participation was worth a lot, if only because they were together with us. They supported us under lend-lease. We paid for it in full, though. When I became President, we even paid off our loan-lease payments in full. The Americans took that money off us, too, you know? We gave everything, despite the fact that so many years have passed.

Nevertheless, we appreciate the contribution of our allies to the common struggle and will be glad to see everyone who wants to share the joy of Victory with us.

Dmitry Kulko: Mr President, we still have a lot of questions, including personal ones.

Vladimir Putin: Let's ask some more questions in the audience.

Yamal, what is there in Yamal?

Alexander Zhizhin: Mr President, hello!

"Yamal-meda", Andrey Zhizhin.

Western countries have imposed more than 20 thousand different sanctions…

Vladimir Putin: I think it's already 40 years old.

A. Zhizhin: 40?

Vladimir Putin: To be honest, I don't think so.

Alexey Zhizhin: They are particularly concerned about our progressive development in the Arctic. It has reached the point where they openly declare that their goal is to destroy, kill LNG projects in the Arctic--the production of liquefied natural gas.

What do you think they are so afraid of? Do they manage to somehow influence the pace of our development in the Arctic? How will we respond?

Vladimir Putin: What are they afraid of? They are afraid of competition. Use the means of political struggle for unfair competition.

Well-known company "NOVATEK". It is not a leader, and other countries, including the United States, produce more of this LNG, but we are growing. They try to prevent us from growing. These are unfair means, means of curbing competition, absolutely.

In the end, this is also bad for them, because if they fight competition in this way, and not in economic ways, then they themselves will lose their competitiveness someday. Yes, it won't be tomorrow, but it will happen someday if this continues.

Do they interfere with us or not? They interfere. Create problems? They create it. Will they be able to shut it all down, kill us completely? No, they can't. They will cause us some damage and harm, but, of course, we will get out of this situation, as well as from other situations in the supply of energy carriers. Moreover, the demand for energy carriers from the point of view of the development of the world economy still continues. This demand is growing, it will continue to grow (this is not our data, this is data from global economic institutions), but this product will simply be in demand on world markets. We will continue to do this and increase our share in the global LNG markets.

By the way, and on pipe deliveries of gas, too. Ukraine refused to extend the transit contract. It's not us who refused, it's Ukraine that refuses. Ukraine refused to extend the contract, although it received from us about 700-800 million dollars a year for the contract.

Now there are questions about what to do with it. But this is not our problem, it is Ukraine that has cut off the supply of our gas to European consumers. On the one hand, it "bites their hands", because only with the support of the West, including from Europe, it can exist, not only fight, exist, and at the same time create problems for them, cutting off the supply of our relatively cheap gas to Europe. There will be no such contract, everything is already clear. Well, we'll get over it, Gazprom will get over it.

By the way, you know that just recently our special services reported to me that in Slovakia, in my opinion, saboteurs were detained, and it is clear that Ukrainian saboteurs, with maps of the location of gas power facilities in Slovakia.

I was informed about this only yesterday or the day before yesterday, and I will ask our special services to ask their colleagues what it is all about through our partner channels. You see, it is not enough that terrorist attacks are being carried out in our country, but now they are also being carried out in European countries.

I repeat once again: they feed from the hand, peck from the hand and have already moved on to attempts to carry out terrorist attacks on the territory of Europe. But it's their choice. Our [choice] is to develop cooperation, and we will achieve our goals.

Cosmos, come on. And the BBC, I see. Now you will have the opportunity to attack us. Let's. We're just defending ourselves.

D. Maslak: Thank you.

I am the own correspondent of the Russian Service of the Chinese State Television in Moscow. We work here in Russia, I am a Russian citizen, although I am considered a foreign journalist.

I can start with a question from the State Television of China, from CGTN, because thanks to them I got here, we have been working here for the second year.

There is only one question. The program is called "Results of the Year" today, and you have been saying for a year that Chinese peace initiatives are among the most – I do not remember the exact wording – but you said that they are more real than all the others that the intermediary countries offer.

We all remember and have heard statements that the West has exhausted the limit of trust, Russia has been deceived by European leaders, they themselves admitted this. But speaking specifically, Mr. Trump and his assistant Keith Kellogg say that it is possible to end the war even before the inauguration, on January 20.

We are not talking about the accession or non-accession of a country to NATO… Is it possible to just stop the fire in one minute of time? Is Russia ready to take at least such a simple step if European and American partners manage to persuade Kiev?

Because really everyone, the whole world is tired of the Ukrainian crisis, and people in Russia, too, it seems to me, already want peace. Such a simple step: no one risks anything, just stop where they are at one moment. If someone does not fulfill promises, does not keep promises, then, in principle, everything can continue. No one loses anything, just "stop" at some point.

And the second question right away, since this is still a combined format. I live in Korolev and I would like to ask you to pay attention to the largest science city in Russia, because we, the residents of Korolev, frankly, have a lot of questions.

Now the National Space Center is being built in the center of Khrunichev, many residents of Korolev, and this is a quarter of a million people, residents of the Moscow region, are still wondering: do we remain the space capital historically, where Korolev, the leading designers, worked, or not? We need a special economic zone in the city, for example, on the territory of a house–building plant – now they are trying to divide this territory - maybe a special economic zone, because the city needs some kind of impetus, we need to return the title of the historical space capital of the country to Korolev, because RSC Energia continues to work and so on.

To do this, we just need a third entrance to the city – everyone is asking very much, because traffic jams last four hours. We'll finish here now and go stand in this beautiful notorious traffic jam for three and a half hours. We need an overpass. We have a bit of a problem with democracy in the city. Sorry, it's boiling over.

D. Peskov: You have combined two roles at once: both a citizen and a journalist.

Dmitry Maslak: Both the direct line and the press conference.

A.Suvorova: I came once.

Dmitry Maslak: In general, yes. The third entrance to Korolev. You even drove along this overpass yourself. We need a third entrance to Korolev, because that's it, we're drowning, we can't stand in these traffic jams. I think all Korolev is clapping and applauding right now, because if you can solve this, we will be very happy.

Thank you so much.

Colleagues, I'm sorry.

Vladimir Putin: Your employer will not praise you for the second part of your question--he did not send you here for this, but you understood my message correctly: you need to think about the house. This is absolutely true.

The issue of entering Korolev was discussed. I know from our previous conversations about the development of Korolev as a space capital. Another center is already being built in Moscow, a very important center in terms of the development of the space industry, but Korolev is a well–known, recognized center. I won't go into details now, but Korolev, as a science city, certainly deserves due attention. I will definitely talk to my colleagues in the Moscow region, and with those who are engaged in aviation and space. There are different plans there.

The idea of creating a special economic zone has certain grounds. I will not say the final decision now either, but it is absolutely possible and necessary to think about this, in general, to think about how to use the potential of Korolev. You are absolutely right here. This is the first one.

Secondly, regarding the peace initiatives of the People's Republic of China, Brazil, and the Republic of South Africa. Why did we pay attention to this? Because this is a sincere attempt to find a solution. In our opinion, this attempt is balanced and does not impose anything on either side: neither Ukraine nor Russia. Therefore, this is done by neutral countries that do not interfere in the conflict, as, for example, Western states do, which are actually fighting with us at the hands of Ukrainians. Therefore, what they are proposing, of course, we need to think a hundred times, because this is actually a belligerent party.

Can we stop the fighting right now? Do you understand what's going on? I told you what is happening: there is a depletion of military equipment, equipment, ammunition, ammunition and, most importantly, personnel on the part of the Ukrainian armed forces–-depletion.

What do we really see on the battlefield today? Our army is moving forward, the enemy cannot gain a foothold in the positions to which he retreated on a given day, at a given moment in time. He withdrew in an organized manner, but he cannot gain a foothold there–-our guys are going again tomorrow, and so on, and on, and on.

It is worth stopping for a week—this means giving the enemy the opportunity to gain a foothold in these positions, give them the opportunity to take a break and get the necessary equipment and ammunition. What is very important from the point of view of personnel training is that it will provide an opportunity… Not like today: they recruit people from the streets, as I said at the [collegium] The Ministry of Defense, how stray dogs are seized. But at least stray dogs are brought to hotels for stray animals, and then they try to distribute them to families, but here they just throw them under bullets.

There is no time to prepare, and our guys record this on the battlefield: the training is not the same at all-–this is not a Soviet military training school, this is another story. Even those who are trained in Western countries do not pull in comparison with the Soviet school, because those who prepare themselves have never fought, they themselves do not know how to do anything. What do they teach?

So, a long period of relative truce will give the enemy the opportunity to do this–-training and retraining, strengthening of personnel. In some battalions of the Ukrainian army, 35 percent of the personnel, 40. There is a battalion, but there are no personnel inside. Do you want to give them the opportunity to retool?

We do not need a truce, we need peace: long–term, durable, guaranteed for the Russian Federation and its citizens. It is a difficult question how to ensure these guarantees, but in general it is possible to search.

As for the short-term truce, the Hungarian Prime Minister, Mr. Orban, addressed me with this proposal. That's what he told me–I think Victor won't be angry with me if I reveal at least part of our conversation–-he says: what does it cost you, for a day or two, it's a Christmas truce–-the enemy can't do anything in these two or three days. I said, yes, it probably is, but you will first talk to the Ukrainian side. We have agreed at least three times to events of this kind on navigation in the Black Sea, on energy infrastructure, and so on.

Erdogan suggested it to me, ask your President. And so it was, he offered me as an intermediary. I say, I have to think about it. Then the next day, the next day, he called and said: we agree. Suddenly, once again, the head of the Ukrainian regime announces: no negotiations, no truce. Then I call Erdogan, I say, so what? He says: these are our partners. I say, all right.

Now I've asked Orban. He also proposed a Christmas truce, he also proposed a prisoner exchange. I did not refuse anything, I said: in principle, we need to think about it, you will ask them. He asked. The next day, the head of the [Kiev] regime declared that there would be no truce, no prisoner exchange. That's the answer to your question.

D.Kulko: We've been on the air for over four hours now. We'll finish it.

Vladimir Putin: BBC I promised.

You are welcome.

A. Suvorov: They promised to attack.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, you promised to attack. They are happy to do it without promises. His job is like that, they get paid for it.

S.Rosenberg: BBC News.

Exactly 25 years ago Boris Nikolaevich Yeltsin resigned, he handed over power to you and said: take care of Russia. After 25 years, do you think you have saved Russia? Because from the outside, what do we see? We see significant losses in the so-called SVO, which you announced, we see Ukrainian soldiers who are in the Kursk region, you criticize the expansion of NATO, but there is more NATO on the borders of Russia: Sweden, Finland. Sanctions, high inflation, demographic problems. But how do you think you have saved your country?

Vladimir Putin: Yes. I believe that I did not just protect, I believe that we have moved away from the edge of the abyss, because everything that happened to Russia before and after led us to a complete, virtually total loss of our sovereignty, and without sovereignty Russia cannot exist as an independent state.

I would like to draw your attention to what you said about Boris Yeltsin. Everything seemed to be going well, he was patronizingly patted on the shoulder, not noticed, even when he took a little sip of his drink. He was very pleasant in all Western circles. As soon as he raised his voice in defense of Yugoslavia, as soon as he said that this is contrary to international law and the UN Charter, as soon as he said that it is unacceptable in modern Europe to strike Belgrade, the capital of a European state, without the approval of the UN Security Council, he was immediately persecuted, immediately they started calling him names: he's such a rastakoy, a drunk and so on and so forth. Don't you remember that?

I have done everything possible to ensure that Russia is an independent and sovereign power that is able to make decisions in its own interests, and not in the interests of those countries that dragged it to them, patting it on the shoulder, in order to use it for their own purposes. In principle, this could be limited. I understand that you have just outlined the entire set there, which seems to support your theses.

They said about inflation. Yes, there is inflation. We will fight it. But we also have economic growth rates. We are ranked fourth in the world in terms of purchasing power parity-please let your readers know—and first in Europe, far behind the United Kingdom. Great Britain, in my opinion, is not even in the top five.

But we are ready to work with the UK if the UK wants to work with us. But if this doesn't happen, don't do it, we can manage without our former allies in the anti – Hitler coalition.

Dmitry Kulko: Mr President, there are many questions from Russians, including personal ones. Time is short, so I suggest also in the blitz mode.

Dmitry Peskov: It's already four and a half hours.

Vladimir Putin: We will finish it.

A. Suvorov: Do you have a dream? Not of a state nature, but personal. What do you dream about?

Vladimir Putin: There is, of course. But it's a personal dream. Can I keep it to myself?

Dmitry Kulko: A question from social networks. Alexandra Pukhova asks: Are you a happy person?

Vladimir Putin: Do you think this is a blitz question? It's up to me to say yes or no. How do I tell you yes or no?

Do you understand what's going on? The fact is that everyone knows that I was born in a simple, working-class family, my ancestors crossed the Danube in the XIX century, and from the archive they brought me a paper where one of my ancestors was awarded the St. George Cross, one of the first St. George Crosses. Then my father and all my relatives, both on my mother's side and on my father's side, fought on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. A lot of people died, very much, every second probably died, my father was a disabled person of the Great Patriotic War. I myself served in the foreign intelligence agencies, and my work has always been associated with serving the Fatherland. And of course, it is a great honor and a great responsibility that people, citizens of Russia, have entrusted me to lead the Russian state not for the first time. And in principle, you could say: everything, I'm happy, and thank you. One might even say: fear God, what could be greater?

But you know, the fact is that happiness cannot be complete until our guys return from the front, until they are met by their mothers and wives, until their children embrace them, until our young people, girls, and boys create the right amount–-for us, for the country, for the future. Russi-–families and having children.

I really want our scientists, artists and cultural figures to realize their plans. Only then can you probably say that I'm happy.

A. Suvorova: There is a question from St. Petersburg: why are you called names by various foreigners, but you are silent?

Vladimir Putin: It depends on the level of culture. I've said it before: if you call yourself something, that's what you call it. And this is done, in my opinion, out of impotence. And why should we show this impotence? We have enough arguments to make our position clear.

Dmitry Kulko: SMS from the Stavropol Territory: Do you have any responsibilities that you hate?

Vladimir Putin: No. You know, if people have entrusted me with the functions of the president of the country, there are certain duties, I set myself up to perform them with dignity, at least with full dedication.

I know that if I take the practice of hating or disliking something that is part of my official duties, then the desired result will not be achieved. Therefore, I have long built myself up to the fact that everything I should do, I should do with pleasure.

A. Suvorova: A question from the Nizhny Novgorod region: whose portrait is hanging in your office?

Vladimir Putin: I don't have a portrait in my office. I have an icon in one office, and in the second office there is a bust of Lomonosov.

Dmitry Kulko: More text messages from Moscow: "Would you be able to grant political asylum to Zelensky? He's going to need it soon."

Vladimir Putin: I do not know, I do not think that it will be necessary. I think it is quite likely, I don't know what he will do, but it is quite likely that he, as well as some people from the top political leadership of Ukraine–-they went abroad–-will leave. He will be supported by the people whose interests he serves today.

If, excuse me, he suddenly appeared somewhere as suddenly as the devil out of a snuffbox and said: I need political asylum, Russia does not refuse anyone.

Anna Suvorova: Question from Tatyana Kostyuchenko: What is Russia for you?

Vladimir Putin: This is such a complex issue.

The map, you see, is opposite. Russia, like any other country, is, of course, a huge territory. But it's not just the territory, it's the history, culture, our customs and traditions. This is all Russia. But still, the most important thing is people.

What do I sometimes find myself doing, especially lately? When I watch something–-I rarely watch TV, I don't have time, I don't spend much time on the Internet–-I look at our achievements, at the success of our people.

It was the World Swimming Championships now. The guys came out–-torso, healthy, powerful, confident, world champions, beautiful girls. I look at the boys and girls who are achieving success at international Olympiads, I look at our young scientists, whom I recently met. Honestly, I say: I look at it and rejoice at it, as I would rejoice at the success of my family members. Without any exaggeration. I look and rejoice, as if these are my loved ones. That's why I look at Russia as a family.

A. Suvorova: Vladimir Vladimirovich, millions of viewers have been watching us for more than four and a half hours, we have answered many questions, it is clear that there is still a lot to do.

In conclusion, what else would you like to say to the citizens of our country?

Vladimir Putin: I just said that I treat Russia like my family.

We are working and talking on the eve of very bright holidays–-both the New Year and Christmas. I talk to many representatives of different faiths, and they tell me everything: and what are we doing, we all celebrate Christmas, just as our neighbors celebrate Eid al-Adha, Passover and so on.

When I meet with representatives of faiths, I often ask them: when people communicate at the everyday level, what do they talk about most often, what do they regret? It's not about the secret of confession, of course, but still. Do you know what the answer is? Regret what? They pay too little attention to children.

On the eve of the New Year, this is a family holiday–-and especially Christmas—I would like to wish that you pay more attention to your loved ones. And I want to wish everyone success, happiness and prosperity.

A. Suvorova: Thank you very much.

D.Kulko: Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you.

And Thank You! I wanted to ask Putin about how he felt about his family in The Year of the Family, and I’m very satisfied and not at all surprised by what he said above and to the several allusions to his kin during this event. As for policy, lots of points were made that relate to what I consider Putin’s #1 priority, and that’s the wellbeing of the Russian People, for they are the foundation of Russia, and they must be free, independent, healthy, educated, well housed, and have limitless opportunities to explore their potential. And as noted for almost every sector of Russia’s social-economy, more personnel are required—not just bodies, but well trained, talented, motivated people who understand that bettering themselves and their families also helps increase Russia’s power. There’re many things that could be reviewed from this event; many are highlighted within the text. Breaking the text into three parts doesn’t make it easy to comment upon. And eventually an official English transcript will be made available, perhaps by the end of next week. For those Gym members that are now reading these last words, thanks for persevering and making an effort Putin’s judo instructor would be proud about.

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