Vladimir Putin participates, via videoconference, on Monday in the UN Security Council high-level debate Maintenance of international peace and security: Maritime security.
"The sea and oceans have always linked people and civilizations. Unfortunately, sea routes are fraught with many threats. That is why it is important that today we are considering significant practical issues related to the fight against "piracy of the 21st century", that is, with the aim of creating a more effective counteraction to transnational crime and preventing the use of seas and oceans for criminal purposes," the President said.
Putin believes it would be useful to regularly exchange views and best practices in the fight against terrorism, armed robbery and maritime crime.
"In this context, it would be feasible to think about establishing a special structure within the UN that would directly address problems related to combatting maritime crime in various regions. At the same time, this body would rest on UN member states’ support and actively involve experts, representatives of civil society, researchers and even private businesses in its work. We hope that our partners would consider Russia’s proposal constructively," Putin stressed.
The event took place at the initiative of Prime Minister of the Republic of India Narendra Modi. India holds the presidency of the UN Security Council in August 2021.
The banning of Russian Paralympic athletes from the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games became one of the most convincing examples showing that politics is directly interfering in sports, while Russian Paralympic athletes will now prove their worth at the Tokyo Paralympics, Vladimir Putin is confident.
The Russian Paralympic team is made up of 430 people, 241 of them are athletes (129 men and 112 women). They will compete in 19 sports out of 22 that are included in the program. The Tokyo Paralympics will be held between August 24 and September 5. In total, 539 medal sets are up for grabs.
The performance of Russian athletes at international competitions, including the Tokyo Olympic Games, is the best proof that any attempts to politicize sport are null and harmful, Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Cemix plant workers, on Friday.
The ruling of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) imposing a ban on the use of the Russian flag and anthem at international competitions is obviously politically motivated, the president said.
International sports organizations are interested in Russia’s bidding to host large sports events, so attempts to impose more sanctions or "pinch" Russia some other way in the sphere of sport will inevitable recede after 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday, commenting on the anti-Russian sanctions in sport.
"As for the future, these restrictions are in force till the end of 2022. I think that from that time on all attempt to restrict or somehow ‘pinch’ Russia in the sphere of sport will recede too," Putin said.
Vladimir Putin participates in the ceremony to launch the first phase of the Cemix plant for the production of dry construction mixes.
The facility is part of Lasselsberger Group of Austria. Opening the plant will reduce white cement imports and create a point of industrial growth in the region.
Chancellor of Austria Sebastian Kurz sent a video address to the ceremony on the plant’s opening.
Vladimir Putin arrived in Magnitogorsk, and immediately went by helicopter, together with the leadership of the Chelyabinsk region, to the areas affected by forest fires.
One of the points on the route is the village of Dzhabyk. In July, it found himself on the path of the fiery front. All residents - about 700 people- were urgently evacuated. Additional forces were involved in extinguishing, an Il-76 firefighting aircraft. But the heat and wind were too strong. The village burned out almost entirely, and in total more than 70 houses in the region were destroyed by fire.
Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin and Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf met in Tehran on Thursday to discuss inter-parliamentary cooperation and ways of taking it to a new level, the State Duma's press-service said.
He stressed that the legislators were obliged to do everything to ensure the relations between the two countries get more dynamic and cooperation by parliaments achieve a new level.
"Our relations are free from double standards and rest upon the principles of friendship and trust," Volodin said.
For his part, Ghalibaf thanked Volodin for attending the inauguration of Iran's newly-elected president, Ebrahim Raisi. According to the State Duma's press-service, the two sides discussed the need for continuing the work within the framework of the conference of parliamentary speakers for resistance to terrorism and for strengthening regional interaction, involving representatives from Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Russia, and Turkey.
Vladimir Putin explained the large-scale of wildfires and flash floods in the country by climate change.
The head of state promised during his meeting with the government to hold a separate meeting on combating wildfires and flash floods on August 6.
According to the President, during the last 44 years, the average yearly temperature in the country has been increasing 2.8 times faster than in the global dimension.
The President ordered Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology Alexander Kozlov to report on the development of this document, as well as on development of the hydro-meteorology and environmental monitoring service.
Vladimir Putin began his Cabinet meeting on Thursday by discussing the current Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation in Russia.
Health Minister Mikhail Murashko reported on the progress of vaccination in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, noting both positive and negative trends in certain regions of the country.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky considers it a big mistake to stay in Donbass for citizens who consider themselves Russian, and advised them to leave for Russia. With such a statement he made in an interview with the Dom TV channel, on Thursday.
At the same time, the president addressed the Ukrainians in Donbass and expressed confidence that the region would return to Ukraine.
Religious procession in honor of the 800th anniversary of the birth of Alexander Nevsky ends in Moscow.
The ark with the relics of the prince returned to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, a service was held there. The procession with the blessing of Patriarch Kirill began on June 12, on the birthday of Alexander Nevsky. A piece of the relics was carried along several routes with a total length of 25 thousand kilometers. The participants visited the place of birth and wedding of the prince, the Battle of the Neva and the Battle of Lake Peipsi. During this time, 400 thousand pilgrims touched the shrine.
Russia will never abandon the people of the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics (DPR, LPR) and it will continue to provide support for this region (Donbass), Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a meeting with participants in Russia's national education youth forum Terra Scientia.
"I can merely repeat what our country's leadership said: Russia will never abandon either Donetsk, or Lugansk. In the first place, this concerns the people who will be supported. This support has not stopped for a minute, let me stress once again, not for a minute, over years," Zakharova said. "I am saying so not because I am someone who is somehow involved in foreign policy matters and international relations, but as a citizen of our country, who sees from inside what is being done to ensure the people we call compatriots, the people who have become or are becoming Russian citizens know that there is someone to stand for their lives, not only for their rights, but in the first place, their lives."
She stressed that speculations to the effect Russia had not done enough to provide assistance to the people of that region were at least unfair and did not reflect the real state of affairs. I can tell you as a person who is somehow concerned with this issue: a great deal has been done politically, economically, financially and in pure humanitarian terms," Zakharova said.
She stated that Russia would by no means take a break and would continue to exert the maximum efforts to provide more assistance to Donetsk and Lugansk.
"We have heard so many threats from our Western partners, so many sanctions have been taken and there has been so much aggression and blackmail against us over these years. Have we inched back at least once? Have we said at least once 'We are sorry it happened this way?' No. Have we ever revised our fundamental principles despite the colossal international pressure? Never," Zakharova stated.
US elites and mass media demonize Russia regardless of who is in power in Washington, Director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Sergei Naryshkin said in an interview with the Vladimir Soloviev.
"We understand that, of course, Russia has been demonized to a large extent through the efforts by the US, first of all, Western elites and mass media," he said.
According to Naryshkin, US President Joe Biden is criticized by both Republicans and Democrats for meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Geneva. "He is already accused of betraying national interests by agreeing to have a summit in Geneva. And now he is accused of not imposing sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 operator, so we have to live with that," he added.
Naryshkin also stressed that the Democrats successfully used Russophobia when Donald Trump was the US President. "He was accused of these sins. He was accused of wanting, as he said, to get along with Russia, establish a constructive dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin. By the way, Republicans are quite actively taking advantage of that now," he emphasized.
"For an ordinary American citizen, some politicians’, in this case, US politicians’ behavior towards Moscow that is not tough enough is an argument for discrediting them, discrediting a certain politician. And, of course, I can imagine that all this works in the United States of America in many respects," Naryshkin noted.
At the same time, the director of Russia’s SVR mentioned that good relations between Russia, on the one hand, and the United States and the West in general, on the other are possible by and large, but they will require great efforts to build.
"Interaction by the intelligence services (of Russia and the United States) on a specific track [the struggle against terrorism] confirms over and over again the objective need for good relations between Russia and the West," he said. "I do not think that they are impossible, but the road to establishing good relations is a very long one and it will require great efforts and great willpower on both sides."
Naryshkin described the Russian-US June 16 summit in Geneva as the first moderate step along these lines.
"it is wrong to overestimate it, but it should not be underestimated either. it is clear that one of the causes is rooted in the internal political struggle in the United States," he said.
Vladimir Putin on Sunday visited the Konevsky Monastery, which is located on the island of Konevets in Lake Ladoga.
The monastery, built at the beginning of the 19th century, was later practically destroyed and was in a deplorable state. In 2016, Vladimir Putin visited Konevets and gave instructions to restore the main temple and skete of the Konevskaya Icon of the Mother of God. To date, the monastery has been restored by the forces and means of Rosneft. The director of the oil company Igor Sechin accompanied the head of state during his visit to the monastery.
Vladimir Putin received in the Kremlin Alexei Komissarov, who heads the ANO Russia - Land of Opportunities.
This open space, created three years ago at the initiative of the President, brings together talented and caring people of all ages and professions to enable them to fully realize their potential. Contests, educational programs, charitable initiatives - everything in order to give a chance to as many people as possible.
Vladimir Putin has held a meeting with the permanent members of the Russian Security Council, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday.
"During the session, the participants discussed the current issues of Russia’s social-economic development. Besides, they touched upon the current issues on the international agenda, including the situation in Afghanistan, and on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border," Peskov said.
Vladimir Putin participated in the inauguration ceremony for the start of railway traffic through the second Baikal tunnel on Wednesday via a video link.
The train near the western tunnel entry started moving and in ten minutes the participants greeted the arrival of the train from the eastern entry.
The new tunnel crosses the Baikal ridge and connects two Russian regions: the western portal is situated in the Irkutsk Region and the eastern one - in the Republic of Buryatia, the Kremlin’s press service said earlier. Development underground reached 6,682 meters in challenging geological conditions. The progress hit 300 meters per month, with the tunnel running to a depth of up to 300 meters.
Construction of the tunnel started in 2014 as part of the Baikal-Amur and Trans-Siberian railways upgrade and development project.
The old single-track Baikal tunnel, built in 1985, was one of the bottlenecks on the Baikal-Amur Mainline. The new tunnel is situated 35 away from the old one and, now that it is open, the traffic will now be on both tracks. The throughput capacity of the segment will surge 2.5-fold from 13.2 to 32.4 mln tonnes of cargo annually after the opening of the second tunnel.
Vladimir Putin congratulated Russian gymnasts Angelina Melnikova, Viktoria Listunova, Vladislava Urazova and Lilia Akhaimova on their victory in the artistic gymnastics team event at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics.
“For the first time ever, Russia has won the Olympic gold in the artistic gymnastics team event. I heartily congratulate you on the well-deserved victory.
This success has become a worthy prize for your talent and perseverance in reaching your goals, for your team spirit, solidarity and beautiful, graceful performance of the most complicated elements. While surpassing your famous rivals in a fair and uncompromised competition, you have written a new page in the history of Olympic achievements, lived up to the expectations of your coaches, mentors, and numerous fans and lovers of artistic gymnastics.”
Issuing more dollars to cover the budget deficit in the United States affects the entire world economy, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, opening a meeting on economic issues on Tuesday.
According to him, inflation in the United States has exceeded 5% with a target of about 2%, and the United States has been making up a budget with a 15% deficit for two years in a row.
"So they cover this deficit at the expense of what? At the expense of the issue [of the dollar]. This is where inflation comes from," Putin said.
"Of course, this affects entirely and completely the world economy, considering the importance of the American [economy] for the whole world and the largest, most in-demand reserve currency," he said.
Speaking at the meeting, Putin invited the participants to focus on how the Russian economy is overcoming the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.
"We see that the global economic recovery continues overall, with quite high rates, though this process is connected with inflation risks as well," he said.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier that Kremlin Chief of Staff Anton Vaino, Russian Presidential Aide Maxim Oreshkin, First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov, Economic Development Minister Maksim Reshetnikov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, and Central Bank Chief Elvira Nabiullina were all taking part in the meeting.
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin embarked on his working trip to the Far East and Siberia. His program began with visiting the Iturup Island of the Kuril Archipelago.
President Vladimir Putin ordered him to pay special attention to the Kuril Islands. The head of state noted that Russia has been working on the creation of necessary conditions for participants of economic activity there for a long time. The head of state also announced unique and unprecedented measures on involving Japan in the economy of the Kurils. The final initiatives will be formulated after Mishustin’s trip is over.
On Monday, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said that Mishustin’s trip to Iturup "contradicts the Japanese government’s consecutive position on the Northern Territories and causes extreme regret." The high-ranking Japanese official added that Tokyo would continue to collect and analyze information about this trip.
Russian Ambassador to Japan Mikhail Galuzin was summoned to the Japanese Foreign Ministry. Later, Galuzin told journalists that Moscow would not accept Tokyo’s protest over Mishustin’s trip.
Vladimir Putin chaired a meeting on the development of the transport system in St Petersburg and Leningrad Region, on Monday.
According to the President, such a project for such a large agglomeration as St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region will certainly be in demand.
The head of state recalled that the ring road and the Western High-Speed Diameter, interchanges had already been built earlier. However, he drew attention to the fact that more than 7 million people live in the city and its environs, so the development of transport is extremely important. They are important for people, for the economy, for the tourism infrastructure, the president said, proposing to discuss at the meeting what will need to be done additionally in order for the situation to continue to improve.
On Navy Day, Vladimir Putin, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief reviewed the Main Naval Parade held in the Neva River, St Petersburg. Prior to the main part of the parade, the head of state sailed aboard a cutter around the combat ships gathered in parade formation in the Bay of Finland and in the inner harbor of Kronstadt.
The President greeted the crews and congratulated them on Navy Day. Around 4,000 sailors, and over 50 ships, boats and submarines took part in the parade as well as 48 naval aviation aircplanes and helicopters. The ships included the Marshal Ustinov missile cruiser, the Admiral Kasatonov frigate, the Vice Admiral Kulakov large landing ship, the Gremyashchy and the Stoiky missile corvettes, the Pyotr Morgunov and the Minsk large landing ships, and the Alexander Obukhov and the Vladimir Yemelyanov minesweepers. The static part of the parade featured for the first time the Knyaz Vladimir submarine strategic missile cruiser of the Borey-A project.
Russia’s Main Naval Parade is taking place in St. Petersburg and Kronshtadt on Navy Day on July 25 this year (the event is annually celebrated in Russia on the last Sunday of July). This year, the Russian Navy is celebrating its 325th anniversary. The parade is being held without spectators due to the tense epidemiological situation.
Russia is constantly and successfully improving its naval armaments and can detect any enemy and deliver an inevitable strike against it, if necessary, Vladimir Putin said ahead of the beginning of the Main Naval Parade 2021, on Sunday.
The Russian leader recalled the behests of Russian Emperor Peter the Great sealed in the Navy’s Charter: "never to lower the ship’s flag before any force, never to retreat or surrender the ship to the enemy."
Vladimir Putin congratulated investigation officers on their professional holiday (Investigation Officers’ Day) on Sunday.
The President thanked them for their hard and extremely responsible work, which is very important and relevant for the country as a whole and for all Russian citizens.
The Investigative Committee and the relevant departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Federal Security Service defend the law, the interests of the state, society and individuals, hold criminals accountable, and play a vital role in the fight against crime and corruption.
The experience of Russia’s relations with the West in recent decades shows that any unilateral concessions made by Moscow will be seen as weakness, and new unacceptable demands will follow, Sergey Lavrov said at a webinar on Russia’s foreign policy, on Friday.
"we will pursue an independent, nationally-oriented foreign policy, that is, a pragmatic foreign policy. we will not take into consideration any threats and ultimatums, except that we will stand firm against them," Russian Minister stressed.
The state of emergency on the Trans-Siberian Railway and Russian-Japanese economic cooperation in the Kuril Islands, Vladimir Putin discussed with permanent members of the Security Council of the Russian Federation on Friday.
Due to torrential rains in Transbaikalia, traffic on the Transsib [Trans-Siberian Railway] has been blocked. A bridge collapsed on a railroad linking east and west. The supports could not withstand the flow of water. Dozens of trains, including passenger ones, have been canceled.
The situation on the Transsib became the topic of Vladimir Putin's meeting with the permanent members of the Security Council. The President instructed the government to ensure the vital activity of the adjacent blocked areas, and the coordination of all services responsible for the elimination of the emergency.
Also, Prime Minister Mishustin, who is scheduled for a working trip to the Far East in the near future, Putin instructed to pay special attention to the Kuril Islands. Russia and Japan, according to the president, are working to create conditions there for joint economic activity.
There are good developments to be formulated and implemented in the near future. Some proposals for work in the Kuril Islands, Vladimir Putin stressed, are unique and unprecedented.
In Transbaikalia, because of this, the railway bridge on the Trans-Siberian Railway collapsed. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but the movement is paralyzed. In addition, five more road bridges were washed away.
Rostov-on-Don was literally flooded. The streets of the city have turned into rivers. Water poured into the bus cabins, passengers in search of rescue climbed onto the handrails. In one of the districts a mudflow came down, many cars had to be pulled out by hand. The blow of the elements fell on Stavropol. There is a thunderstorm, a squally wind.
A similar situation is in Tambov, but some townspeople decided to take advantage of the situation and go in for extreme sports.
Russia has always been and remains the guarantor of Europe's energy security. This was stated today by the press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov, commenting on the joint statement of the United States and Germany on Nord Stream 2. It, in particular, speaks of support for Ukraine and retaliatory actions if Russia suddenly tries to use energy as a weapon.
Peskov stressed that Moscow has never viewed energy resources as an instrument of political pressure. And to the news that Berlin will seek to extend the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine, he replied as follows:
For some reason, the Russian Federation is not mentioned here, although this agreement can only be extended between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. Therefore, the effect of this statement, I do not know how to translate it into other languages, but in Russian - "no one informed me about my marriage." Nevertheless, I want to remind you that President Putin has repeatedly, including a few days ago, spoke of Russia's readiness to discuss the extension of the agreement on gas transit through Ukraine after 2024. This is exclusively a matter of economic feasibility and profitability.
In the capital of Tatarstan today, on the day of the Our Lady of Kazan Icon, a revived historical cathedral in honor of this shrine, one of the most revered in Russia, was solemnly opened.
The rite of consecration was performed by Patriarch Kirill. The former stone church was blown up in Soviet times. A lot of people took part in the construction of a new church on the site of the finding of the miraculous icon, this was noted by Vladimir Putin, who sent his congratulations.
Returning home - this is what they say today about the opening of the reconstructed cathedral. The icon is finally at the place where it was found, in Kazan.
The old icon was found by the girl Matrona. First, a chapel was built on this site, then a wooden temple, then a stone one. The last building was erected in 1808; the temple was a place of pilgrimage for believers from all over the country. But in the 30s of the 20th century, the cathedral was destroyed.
“Today we are witnesses of how in the place where no manifestations of religious life were supposed at all, this majestic cathedral was consecrated as a monument to the spirit, courage, strength and faith of our people. And how wonderful it is that representatives of the Islamic clergy are with us today. Today we are together, everyone, as those who maintained solidarity with each other in the difficult years of persecution, and together on this solemn day, ”said Patriarch Kirill.
They first started talking about the restoration of the temple back in 2004, when the Our Lady of Kazan Icon from the Pope's chambers in the Vatican was transferred to Kazan. And in 2016, it was decided to restore the temple at its former, historical place.
“Exactly five years ago, we, led by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, laid the first stone in the foundation of the restored church. And today, in this majestic cathedral, in the presence of the Patriarch and distinguished guests, the Divine Liturgy is again celebrated. The capital of Tatarstan and our glorious Fatherland have regained one of their main spiritual shrines, ”said the head of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov.
Today's event is being handed out to be historical. A huge temple was rebuilt with the help of believers and business. Vladimir Putin also sent his congratulations to Kazan today.
“The Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan Icon was erected by the efforts of scientists and restorers, employees of museums and libraries, priests, benefactors, volunteers, literally built by the whole Ortodox world. I am sure that the cathedral will become one of the spiritual centers of Kazan, will serve the cause of the revival of religious shrines and age-old traditions in the ancient land of Tatarstan, ”the plenipotentiary representative of the Russian Federation in the Volga Federal District Igor Komarov read out the telegram.
Today, many celebrated that the day of finding the Our Lady of Kazan Icon coincided with one of the main Muslim holidays, Eid al-Adha. This is symbolic for multinational Russia, where different peoples have lived in peace for centuries.
“The most important values are one for all. This is love for one's neighbor, caring for one's family, honest work, striving for justice. And I am sure that the consecration of this wonderful cathedral in the very heart of Kazan will be the next step to preserve unity, trust, and mutual understanding between peoples. This is what our country is rightfully proud of, ”said Valentina Matvienko, Chairperson of the Federation Council.
The temple will open to believers tomorrow. A unique ancient cave temple, which was accidentally discovered during excavations, will also be available for visiting. It is there that the very place of finding the shrine is located.
Vladimir Putin attended the opening ceremony of the 15th International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2021on Tuesday.
The whole world was probably looking forward to this minute. The main intrigue of the MAKS 2021 air show is the plane that has already become famous, although no one has seen it yet.
A few days before the air show, Rostec announced a super-premiere - the latest military aircraft. And then he fueled interest, gradually opening the curtain. And today, finally, the long-awaited novelty is presented to everyone.
Now it can be viewed in detail. angular shape - the fighter will be invisible to radars. The armament bays are hidden inside the fuselage. And the main feature is one engine. now there are no such vehicles in the Russian army. now will be. Llight tactical aircraft of the fifth generation, called Checkmate. next generation platform. Wide combat capabilities. The pilot is assisted by artificial intelligence. Although the new aircraft is called a fighter, it will be able to destroy not only air targets.
The first flight of the new car should take place in two years. In the meantime, already well-known planes soar into the sky near Moscow. This year, for the first time, the Su-57 participates in an air show as a serial fighter. Officially, the MiG-35 and Su-30 are not yet the fifth generation, but they are ready to challenge it. And this is not all that the jubilee airshow can surprise the audience with.
Two years ago, a civilian MS-21 aircraft flew here with American engines, and the PD-14 engine was separately demonstrated at the stand. And now our engine lifts our plane into the sky during the airshow.
Another premiere. Short-haul IL-114-300. The plane is smaller than the MC-21 and has its own niche for local airlines. Replacing the old An-24.
Tven more deserved An-2 now also has something to replace. light multipurpose aircraft Baikal, the President examined it. There, the head of state was shown a business version of the Superjet. Together, these new items make up the lineup that will become the face of Russian aviation in the future.
These new helicopters were also shown to the President today. ANSAT-M differs from its predecessor in increased flight range. firefighter Ka-32 received a new fire extinguishing system. a postal drone will be able to deliver parcels without a postman.
Now it is important that all promising models become serial samples, adding to the fleet of Russian airlines. And this is precisely the main task of the aviation industry, a meeting on the future of which the president held at MAKS.
However, today it is hardly possible to achieve success without international cooperation. Kazakhstan became Russia's partner at MAKS this year. Also, Belarus and other EAEC countries are taking part, and not only. 250 foreign companies from more than 50 countries.
Among such developments, for example, an all-electric aircraft, a prototype of which is presented in Zhukovsky. However, the air show is not only the technologies of the future, but also traditions. one of these is Russian ice cream, which the president tastes during his visit to the exhibition. an irreplaceable delicacy in hot weather. Vladimir Putin has not changed this tradition even today, having treated the entire government delegation to ice cream while watching the flight program.
At the very beginning of the meeting, the traditional Islamic greeting of the guest: 'Eid Mubarak!' [Blessed holiday!]
It was evident that the presidents were glad to have a new personal meeting. And a lot of topics have accumulated since the last negotiations in January. One of the most acute is the implementation of the Moscow agreements between Azerbaijan and Armenia on Nagorno-Karabakh, which put an end to the bloodshed in the region last year.
The conversation, of course, also touched on the economy. After a slight downturn during a pandemic, connections are being restored with confidence. Russia took the third place in terms of trade with Azerbaijan.
Ilham Aliyev also noted clear progress in the restoration of economic ties between the two countries. Separately, the operation of the North-South transport corridor from Helsinki to Mumbai, which passes through Russia and Azerbaijan.
Aliyev said that more than a thousand students are already studying in two branches of Russian universities in Azerbaijan - Moscow State University and the First Medical named after Sechenov. At the same time, 15 thousand Azerbaijani young people study in Russia, and 16 thousand - at the departments of the Russian language in Azerbaijan. Aliyev called them a large cohort of young people connected with Russia by language, communication and education.
Russia’s S-500 next-generation missile system has struck a fast-moving ballistic target in a training exercise at the Kapustin Yar range.
The first S-500 system will be procured to the Moscow Region’s air and missile defense unit after a full cycle of tests is completed, the Russian Defense Ministry told reporters.
The S-500 missile system has no analogues in the world and can intercept the whole range of current and future means of air and space attack of a potential enemy at all altitudes and speeds.
S-500 will replace the S-400 systems. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said earlier that procurement of S-500s to the Russian army would begin in 2020, while specialists have been working on the system since 2017.
Russia has consistently delivered development goals despite difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Vladimir Putin said by a video link at the meeting of the Council on Strategic Development and National Projects, on Monday.
"Despite great trials and the need to mobilize resources to combat the coronavirus, we consistently progressed because we always, even in the most difficult time, kept the focus on our common national goals that are close and clear for every citizen of the country," President said.
Among such goals are the rise of regions, cities and settlements, creation of new jobs, welfare and prosperity of Russian families, the Putin added.
the Admiral Gorshkov frigate has successfully test-fired the Tsirkon hypersonic missile against a surface target at the range of over 350 km and the flight speed reached 7 Mach [8568 km/H], the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday.
The Project 22350 frigate Admiral Gorshkov successfully test-fired the missile from the White Sea. the surface target was located on the coast of the Barents Sea.
According to the ministry, there are plans to equip submarines and surface vessels of the Russian Navy with the Tsirkon system.
Imperceptibly, in conditions of extreme importance - this is how the Security Service of the President of Russia works, since its creation 30 years old. One of the key structures of the state security relates to the FSO.
If it were not for the earphone wire and conversations with your own fist, these guys could well be mistaken for members of the official delegation of the head of state.
The main task of the service employees is the physical safety of the head of state. The decree on the creation of this structure was signed by the first president of Russia, Boris Yeltsin, nine days after taking office.
They are often in sight, but no one knows practically anything about them. How many employees are in the Presidential Security Service, what they are armed with, how exactly they protect the head of state - all this, of course, is a secret. But at least one principle of their work is known: the best improvisation is prepared improvisation. All possible, even the most incredible, scenarios are calculated in advance.
The activity of the President of Russia, of course, creates many additional problems for the Security Service. Vladimir Putin travels a lot around the country. And for him it is a common thing - after a meeting in the local administration, unplanned approach to people. Ensuring safety in these conditions and not interfering with communication is not easy.
Here's another episode. St. Petersburg, Navy parade. Vladimir Putin was supposed to get into the car, but suddenly changed his mind and decided to walk. You can see how the security officer is transmitting on the radio that the script has changed. The President suddenly approaches the audience.
To fulfill the task, no matter what, is the main principle of the Russian president's security service. A seemingly insignificant but very eloquent episode took place in Germany at the G20 summit. The heads of state enter the building, and their guards are forced to enter through another door. All obediently leave their presidents and go where they were told. The Russian guards follow their President. The confused representative of the German special services did not dare to insist.
Sometimes the security service of the President of Russia has to perform functions that are not typical for it, as, for example, it was recently in Switzerland, at the talks between Putin and Biden. The press service of the American president failed to cope with the simplest task - to lead the journalists inside the building. The Russian bodyguards had to connect.
The security service of the President of Russia is not only those employees whom we see next to the head of state. Some we shouldn't see, but they are also nearby. Maybe under water, or maybe in the sky - depends on the situation, which must always be under control.
Vladimir Putin argues that Russia's relationship with neighboring countries, the former republics of the Soviet Union, is based primarily on compromise and mutual respect for sovereignty.
In the international arena, building a certain type of relationship, even between closest neighbors, is always a compromise. Our goal is not to force anyone to accept a particular model. We are looking for a compromise, Putin said.
Vladimir Putin clarified the issue of the transit of Russian natural gas through the territory of Ukraine, answering a journalist's question in connection with statements by President Zelensky in Berlin about the need to include this issue on the agenda of the next meeting of the Normandy format.
"Russia signed a five-year contract to deliver a certain amount of Russian natural gas to our consumers in Europe via Ukraine. The Normandy format and other similar formats are political platforms for discussing the situation in southeastern Ukraine. They have nothing to do with commercial projects like Nord Stream or Nord Stream 2 or the transit of our gas through the territory of Ukraine. Despite all the current difficulties, Russia undertook certain obligations under this contract and will fully meet them," Putin said.
Now, the volume of transit gas currently accounts for only one third of the throughput capacity of the Ukrainian pipeline.
So, recall that Russian Gazprom and Ukrainian Naftogaz signed a gas transit agreement for five years in 2019. many experts suggest that in 2024 Russia will stop transit of natural gas through Ukraine and redirect hydrocarbon flows through Nord Stream 2. however, the most likely scenario is which Russia will continue to transit gas through Ukraine in order to avoid confrontation with the West, but will reduce its volume as much as possible, just to keep the pipeline in working order.
Sergey Lavrov’s replies to media questions on Afghanistan after participation in the international conference Central and South Asia: Regional Connectivity. Challenges and Opportunities, on Friday.
None of Russia’s Central Asian allies stated their intention at the Tashkent conference of hosting any part whatsoever of the US military infrastructure, which the Americans are moving out of Afghanistan, Russian Foreign Minister said.
"As for the plans by the Americans that they are in fact making public and actively promoting, they seek to persuade Central Asian countries and Pakistan, in particular, to use their territory for accommodating some military infrastructure, which the Americans are moving out of Afghanistan," Lavrov said.
"First of all, Pakistan and Uzbekistan have already officially stated that this is out of the question and they will not use their territory to host such infrastructure. We conferred both in bilateral contacts, and now at the meeting of foreign ministers of five Central Asian states plus Russia on this issue. None of our allies has stated their intention to subject its territory and population to such a risk," the Russian foreign minister stressed.
The participants in the talks also spoke about another US initiative, namely, the attempt to withdraw Afghans who collaborated with the Americans and accommodate them "either temporarily or permanently on the territory of Central Asian states," Lavrov revealed.
"At first, they talked about 10,000 but quite recently I heard already as part of the American discussions in various political think tanks in the US that the figure of 100,000 until the end of the year was mentioned," Lavrov added.
"Today, I already mentioned this in my contact with my Central Asian counterparts and they understand perfectly well all the risks that these plans harbor and they will, perhaps, make the right decision, proceeding from their own interests," Russia’s foreign minister specified.
Expanded "group of three" on the settlement in Afghanistan
Russian Foreign Minister also pointed out that including India and Iran in the expanded "group of three" (Russia, China, the US, and Pakistan) on the settlement in Afghanistan would enrich the possibilities of this format.
"The ‘group of three' discussed in particular the candidacies of India and Iran [as new members]. I think that this can enrich the possibilities of this format," Lavrov said.
The foreign minister noted that one of the key tasks of the expanded ‘group of three’ is the involvement in the dialogue on the settlement of all political and ethnic groups residing in Afghanistan.
Russia is seeking to eliminate barriers that obstruct vaccine production and distribution around the world, Vladimir Putin said at an online summit with leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) on Friday.
"We believe that it is vital to continue working together on creating new vaccine production capacities in Asia-Pacific, elimination of administrative and other barriers that hinder their production and supply," Putin said.
He added that Russia believes expansion of vaccination scales to be a primary task in the fight against the pandemic.
"We are ready for close cooperation with APEC partners on such key areas as organization of mass immunization of populations, including work migrants, rehabilitation and recovery of health of those, who had the virus," the Russian leader said.
According to him, the global vaccination pace determines, how fast the global economy can be revived, how risks linked to new waves of infections can be minimized, and how negative trends in the social sphere can be overcome.
Putin recalled that Russia had already developed four "safe and reliable" coronavirus vaccines, which are being used now. "The high quality of the first global coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik V, has already been confirmed by almost 70 states, which officially approved it for use," the president clarified.
He added that Russia actively fosters localization of its vaccine production abroad, which is based on technology transfer, while agreements were inked with several foreign companies, including APEC ones, to produce more than 800 million doses of Sputnik V every year in total.
