Vladimir Putin Chats With President of the Russian Academy of Sciences Gennady Krasnikov

President of the Russian Academy of Sciences Gennady Krasnikov.

Mr. Krasnikov updates Putin on what’s transpired since last year’s celebration of the Russian Academy of Sciences 300th Anniversary. As you’ll discover, Academy members don’t just sit in their labs and conduct research; they do a considerable amount of work and earn their pay. But why don’t I let the presentation be presented:

G.Krasnikov: Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich, thank you very much for taking the time. Today, I would like to report on the work that has been done and give a report on the instructions. And then we will discuss a few more issues separately.

V. Putin: Good.

G.Krasnikov: The past year, Vladimir Vladimirovich, was a special one for the Russian Academy of Sciences-–its 300th anniversary. The celebration was not only of a Russian scale, but it was also of an international scale in accordance with the decision of UNESCO. We had more than 150 significant events and hundreds of events of a regional and scientific organization scale.

Among the most significant events were, of course, the solemn meeting at the Kremlin Palace. Then there was a general meeting at the end of May last year, which was attended by many foreign delegations. Most importantly, we held a meeting of the BRICS academies as part of this event. In fact, all the heads of the academies from India, Brazil, Egypt, Iran, and South Africa were present. It was a warm gathering, and we agreed on how to proceed.

Last year, [academicians] were awarded: four members of the Academy became full holders of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, three became Heroes of Labor, and one became a Hero of Russia. Only 500 people. We appreciate it, we see recognition of the merits of scientists, their deeds that they have done for our country.

Now I would like to focus on one of the main tasks, which is expert activity. We carry out this activity in accordance with the law [No. 253-FZ]. The number of expert assessments is increasing: compared to 2022, it has almost doubled, and we have completed 87,000 [expert opinions].

I would like to point out here that the expert opinions are no longer just taken into consideration; they are significant and serve as a guide for action. As a result, the number of negative opinions has increased by more than ten times, as experts have finally recognized their importance when they see that the expert opinions are being taken seriously. We have worked closely with the Accounts Chamber to ensure that our expert opinions are meaningful.

We have more than six thousand experts, more than a thousand of them are members of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Every year [in the expert corps] we make an "upgrade" in connection with the age of those who lose their activity-this is very important.

We provide long-term expertise for more than a thousand institutes and universities. In addition, we provide expertise for [high-tech] projects, such as the national technology leadership projects, the 20 projects that were discussed at the State Council last year.

We make expert reviews of road maps and regional scientific and technological development programs, and we receive more than a thousand requests from government agencies, as well as historical and cultural reviews.

I would like to mention [some] significant projects today: this includes the Moscow-Saint Petersburg high-speed railway, the tragedy in the Kerch Strait related to fuel oil, and extensive expertise.

By the way, we are conducting it, and now we are already trusted–-the Mongolian side has come out [with a project] on Lake Baikal: on the [river]. They want to build a whole cycle of hydroelectric power stations in Selenga, dating back to the Soviet Union. We have agreed with our Government, the Mongolian side, and we have set up a joint commission with the Mongolian Academy of Sciences to consider this issue. The decision will be mandatory for both our country and Mongolia.

Of course, I can't help but mention the examination of textbooks. Last year, you signed a law [No. 252-FZ] in August, which made [school] textbooks subject to mandatory examination by the Russian Academy of Sciences.

We have already conducted 346 examinations of textbooks and manuals for them. Moreover, we have now drawn up a plan with the Ministry of Education to create unified textbooks in mathematics, physics, computer science, chemistry, and biology for general and secondary education. This plan has been approved, and we plan to have new textbooks developed by the Russian Academy of Sciences by September 1, 2027.

I would like to say a few words about a very important area–-this is a scientific and methodological guide. (Commenting on the presentation.) I won't go through this table, it's just written as it was: we've always had problems, and they're about the same as shown on the next slide. We usually formulate a vision of where research is needed, and we've looked at 5,200 areas.

The existing system led to the fact that our institutions themselves formed state tasks: we looked at them, only conducted an expert examination--yes, no. This led to an insular nature [of research]: only 30 percent [of scientific topics] were selected, and 70 percent were not selected. And this is nonsense, because fundamental exploratory research should go on a broad front, because there is a high probability of accidental discoveries, it is even difficult to plan. And even if we don't have a [breakthrough], we should definitely have teams that can pick it up.

In general, we have revised this situation and introduced a completely new approach since 2025. This approach now involves the Russian Academy of Sciences not only conducting expert reviews, but also formulating government assignments based on demand.

We have some highly sought-after results. These are studies that are available, which are waiting for the federal executive authorities, because [the regions] have introduced [positions] of deputy head for scientific and technical development, there are high-tech companies, there are our councils—all this is accumulated in thematic departments, plus applications from institutes are received there. As a result of such fruitful work, we form a state task, where we already determine 100 percent of the required work that needs to be completed on time.

In this regard, by the way, we have shifted the schedule; I will not dwell on it. It is already for 2027, the formation of a state task, and in September we will start receiving applications from institutions to get us into the budget cycle. But at the same time, this system allows you to assess exactly which institution is advanced, where there is not enough funding, and which institutions are problematic. Because it used to be that there were 30-40 institutes on one topic, and we only had to choose the best ones, but we didn't choose the best ones.

This mechanism allows us to select the best proposals and applications, and, in principle, to understand which institution needs to increase its funding, and which institution needs to be decided on together with the federal authority, the Federal Executive Agency, and the regional authorities, and for what purposes it can be [useful].

I would like to tell you separately: the sixth subprogram is fundamental [and exploratory] scientific research for the country's defense and security. We launched it at the end of 2023, and we haven't had it for a long time. We believe that it is very effective. I can say that it is done very correctly: all the research is in demand, and it has been approved by the general designers of weapons and general technologists.

For 2025, we see that there are a lot of applications [from scientific institutions]. We choose only every fourth application in order to provide [funding for projects]. I will report to you separately on the results of the sixth subprogram, because we are getting unique results in both hypersonics and other areas.

V. Putin: Okay.

G. Krasnikov: I also wanted to stop, but I can't ignore the special military operation. We have a situation where members of the Academy, in addition to their involvement in scientific research and defense work, are donating their personal funds [for the special military operation]. We are creating funds, and we are transferring the monthly academic payments to the fund.

Not only that, we have a subordinate 336th Separate Guards Brigade. We have taken over and are working with them.

V. Putin: The Baltic Fleet, right?

G. Krasnikov: The Baltic Fleet. Legendary: and the Orders of Zhukov, Suvorov, and Alexander Nevsky.

I would like to tell you that we are currently creating a unified landscape of scientific research. We are the Russian Science Foundation, and we have established a relationship with the Russian Academy of Sciences, which allows us to appoint the chairpersons of the expert councils.

We have now agreed with [Vladimir Alexandrovich] Bespalov, General Director, and Andrey Fursenko, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, that we also conduct all the experts of the Russian Science Foundation through ourselves.

We have agreed that the grants that are issued now should be very significant, and either [receive] negative [conclusions] or they should be included in the state assignment. We are ready to include them in long-term research projects for research institutes.

The same goes for the Russian Foundation for Advanced Research. They are concerned with the sixth subprogram, and all the good results that we get from the sixth subprogram are then picked up by the Russian Foundation for Advanced Research, which makes mock-ups, prototypes, and then we use them for R&D [research and development].

We have also restructured our influence on scientific and technological development. Two decrees have been issued here. The first Decree: we have created an NTS [Scientific and Technical Council] under the Commission for Scientific and Technological Development, which [Dmitry Nikolaevich] Chernyshenko heads. NTS is headed by the President of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The second Decree is that he [the President of the Russian Academy of Sciences] became deputy chairman of this commission.

This turned out to be a very effective mechanism, because we have fully established relations between the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Scientific and Technical Council. Here, we are fully consolidating our decision. For example, we have completed 19 projects on technological leadership, and we have carefully reviewed them, making more than 300 comments and holding more than 50 meetings. Our mechanism is highly coordinated.

I wanted to tell you about regional policy. We have built up [work] today with each region–-I will not dwell here in detail. I would like to say that we are also working with Yuri Trutnev, who is our Far Eastern branch, to resolve the issue of river flooding. Oleg Kozhemyako and I have built a joint center that looks at how to reduce damage. I mentioned Selenga in the Siberian branch, and there are still problems with the Pulp and paper mill: the sludge-lignin that we are looking at has settled. For the Ural District, North-West, St. Petersburg branch-we are working.

V. Putin: Have you set up your work?

G. Krasnikov: They built it, yes, thank you.

V.Putin: The issues that arose; we have discussed them before.

G. Krasnikov: They are tuned to work regional, there are a lot of them there, they consolidated, made scientific councils in the areas. They are now one of the most active departments.

On regional policy. First of all, we pay a lot of attention to the south of Russia, where there are two federal districts, Crimea, Donetsk, the Lugansk Republic, Zaporozhye, and Kherson. We have organized work. By the way, we have established a representative office of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Donetsk, which we have coordinated with [Denis Vladimirovich] Pushilin. [Svetlana Vladimirovna] Bespalova, the rector of Donetsk State University, has become the representative of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and we have connected the LPR to her to oversee the situation.

Not only that, but we also created the Kuzbass-Donbass Scientific and Educational Center. The problem is that there are issues with mines and groundwater: no one is taking care of them, there are sinkholes, changes in the soil, and problems with water quality. These issues are similar to those in Kuzbass. We have created this center.

We hold scientific conferences with the Volga Federal District, taking into account the fact that the Sea of Azov has become our inland sea. We held a large field council in the Chechen Republic, in Grozny.

International activities. As an example of international events, last year, Sirius hosted the XXII Mendeleev Congress on General and Applied Chemistry, in collaboration with UNESCO and IUPAC, the International Union of [Theoretical and Applied Chemistry]. There were over four thousand participants from 39 countries. Prominent scientists came and gave presentations. In fact, a Nobel laureate in chemistry from Israel made an amazing presentation at Sirius. This demonstrates our commitment to international collaboration.

V. Putin: Scientific contacts with our colleagues are continuing, aren't they?

G. Krasnikov: They are continuing.

V. Putin: Good. [My Emphasis]

The sixth subprogram conversation I’m sure would’ve been beyond interesting. Clearly, Russia’s scientific community isn’t standing or sitting but is working very diligently on a vast number and broad array of projects. I was surprised there was no mention of the Academy’s contributions to the modification of the state exam, although that work is also in relation to textbook designing. As I’ve mentioned before, Russia has one unified national school district whereas within the Empire we have 51 different boards of education, no overall unified system and textbook publishers who are more attuned to the ideology of particular states than the accuracy of content within the books they produce. And the same goes for the sciences generally. The international coordination with other science academies bodes well for the future of the Global Majority as the Collective West continues to limit contacts and joint projects. An interesting change was admitted as revealed within this paragraph:

I would like to point out here that the expert opinions are no longer just taken into consideration; they are significant and serve as a guide for action. As a result, the number of negative opinions has increased by more than ten times, as experts have finally recognized their importance when they see that the expert opinions are being taken seriously.

So, it appears that feedback within the experts is now happening via the sharpening of debate that ought to produce much better outcomes and policies. And it appears the main message is getting around—no one can afford to rest on their laurels as innovation and progress will soon pass your accomplishment and make it yesterday’s news. IMO, that helps everyone to move forward as a collective since all work being done is to advance Russia and Russians. Some discoveries do result is prizes and get spun-off into commercial production as previous reports have shown.

Yes, the SMO and conflict with NATO has accelerated scientific progress. But even during the Neoliberal war on Russia during the 1990s, science still progressed. Russia has a well-earned tradition of scientific excellence that has served it well. The empowerment it enjoys today may well be greater than at any previous time. With the education of more minds being made possible by the emerging Multipolar World, the imagination should wonder.

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