Vladimir Putin's New Year Address To Nation 2022

In his New Year address to the Russians Vladimir Putin wished everyone good health in 2022. According to the head of state, this is the main wish and success in various fields will follow.

"In a few seconds, the New Year will come, and in many families, including our compatriots outside Russia, the traditional words will sound:" Happy New Year!" he said.

Russians pronounce these simple words with special feeling because they are passed down from generation to generation, the President said.

The head of state wished every household had as many joyful events as possible, new families were established in Russia as often as possible and children were born.

"May they grow up healthy, smart, honest and free! May love be in every heart and inspire all of us to achieve our goals and conquer the greatest heights - for the sake of their loved ones and for the sake of our only, great Motherland! Happy New Year, dear friends! Happy new year 2022!" he said to the Russian citizens.

In his New Year's address Putin expressed support to everyone who lost loved ones due to the pandemic.

He noted that in the outgoing year, the citizens of the country faced huge challenges, but learned to live in such harsh conditions, to solve complex problems "and were able to do this thanks to our solidarity." The Russian leader noted that hopes for good changes bring people together on the verge of the New Year.

"Dear Russian citizens, dear friends! The year of 2021 is coming to the end and the time will take us from the past to the future very soon. Yes, so it happens every day, minute and second. However, we clearly hear this continuous pace of time when we welcome the New Year. We wait for it as for the landmark in the life. All of us are united now by the hope for good changes but we understand they cannot be pulled away, separated from developments of the departing year," Putin noted.

Only the improvement of the well-being and the quality of life of people will allow making Russia stronger, Putin said.

"When welcoming the New Year, we hope it will open new opportunities; we certainly expect to have good luck but understand at the same time that the achievement of what we thought for depends in the first instance on ourselves, on our priority, on our daily life content, on the degree of taking up a matter strongly and proactively and achieving specific, visible results," the head of state said.

Implementation of nation-wide plans will evolve exactly from such results, Putin said. "Their main goal is to improve the well-being and the quality of life of people. Solution of exactly these tasks will make Russia stronger," the Russian leader said.

Further development and flourishing of the motherland can only be supported by joint efforts, Putin stressed. "The mood for creation, the aspiration for definite implementation of personal plans and being of benefit for the society and the homeland are particularly important in such challenging times as now," he added.

Russia went through all hardships of 2021 with dignity and the main credit for it goes to the country’s citizens, Putin said.

"Of course, there are still a lot of unsolved problems, but we went through this year with dignity. The main credit for it goes to you, the citizens of Russia. This is the result of your hard work. Everyone tried to fulfill his duty, to do not only what is in their power, but also much more, to help those who find it especially difficult. My heartfelt thanks to all of you," the President said.

"We overcame all the difficulties of the outgoing year together, protected those who found themselves in a difficult situation, first of all supported the people of the older generations and families where children are growing, they are the future of Russia," he added.

Putin extended separate New Year greetings in his address to everyone ‘on alert’ - to medical workers, servicemen and law enforcement personnel.

Hundreds of thousands of our citizens are working in these spheres. Thank you for the labor, responsible and important for the country and the society," Putin added.

What Did Putin, Biden Discuss In A Telephone Conversation On December 30?

The fact that the telephone conversation between Vladimir Putin and Joseph Biden would be held entirely in a closed format was known even before it began. The presidents got in touch late in the evening, half an hour before midnight Moscow time. In the United States, the hands on the clock indicated half past four in the evening. The conversation lasted exactly 50 minutes. Presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters about some of the results of the talks.

"In principle, we are satisfied with the talks held today, because they were frank, meaningful, and specific,"he said.

Russia has spoken about its concerns more than once. But in the West they pretended not to hear. The case got off the ground during previous talks between Putin and Biden, via video link, December 7. The presidents agreed on consultations on strategic stability.

Russia's red lines are listed in two documents: one concerns relations with the United States, the other with NATO. Our country offers the alliance to stop any military activity on the territory of 12 former Soviet republics (the Baltic countries do not count - they are already in NATO), to cancel the decision of the Bucharest summit in the part where it was announced about the prospects of joining the bloc of Ukraine and Georgia, and remove American strike systems, including missile defense systems, from our borders. Agreements must be legally enshrined. Moscow does not believe in words.

"We need a result. And we will seek results in the form of guaranteed security for Russia. In principle, US President agreed with this point of view and reacted quite logically and quite seriously. Our President emphasized that in this situation, which is rather difficult, we will behave as the United States would behave if offensive weapons were deployed near American borders," Ushakov said.

In Washington, the conversation between Putin and Biden was described as businesslike and meaningful. True, in the official statement, the White House press service, as usual, focused on Russia's allegedly impending invasion of Ukraine.

"President Biden urged Russia to de-escalate tensions with Ukraine," the statement said. "He made clear that the United States and its allies and partners will respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine. President Biden also expressed support for diplomatic efforts, which kick off early next year with a bilateral dialogue on strategic stability," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement on Thursday.

Not without mentioning by Biden of possible large-scale sanctions against our country.

"Our president immediately responded to that by saying that if the West goes ahead to introduce abovementioned unprecedented sanctions, then all that could cause a total severance of relations between our countries and most serious damage will be done to Russia’s relations with the West in general," Ushakov noted.

According to political scientists, the position of the American president is influenced by the internal political situation in the United States.

“Biden has a very low rating, and now to be accused of weakness towards Russia, which is a traditional horror story for American domestic politics, for him it would be a failure,” said Andrei Korobkov, professor of political science at the University of Tennessee.

During the night conversation, the presidents agreed to keep in touch.

“Washington understands Russia's concerns. President Biden is ready to continue the dialogue with President Putin, and this is what our leaders agreed on. Moreover, the presidents will also push the negotiations, which will be conducted by our subordinate teams in Geneva, ”Yuri Ushakov replied.

Negotiations between Russia and the United States on security guarantees are scheduled in Geneva for January 10. In a couple of days, a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council will take place in Brussels, and on January 13, the Russian delegation in Vienna will meet with representatives of the OSCE.

However, in relation to the same Ukraine, some progress has already been outlined.

Some political analysts already call the upcoming talks epoch-making, while others are still restrained in their assessments. The White House is cautiously hinting to reporters about possible progress on some issues. 

Some political analysts already call the upcoming talks epoch-making, while others are still restrained in their assessments. The White House is cautiously hinting to reporters about possible progress on some issues. But without any specifics. At the same time, recognizing that nothing relieves tension in the world like communication between the leaders of our countries. With this, as they say, you can not argue.

Russia's Ministers Make Children's Dreams Come True As Part Of New Year Tree Of Wishes

The eve of the New Year is the time when you want to believe in all the best: this is exactly what happens with children, whose dreams these days come true thanks to the New Year Tree Of Wishes.

5-year-old Misha from the Oryol region was able to visit the famous confectionery factory in Moscow. He was invited there by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, who removed the ball from the New Year Tree with the Wish of the boy.

An excursion to the chocolate museum, a master class on making sweets and tasting right at the sweet conveyor belt.

And one more story about how the New Year's Tree of Wishes makes children's dreams come true. Stanislav from St. Petersburg was able to talk with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Lavrov invited the teenager to Moscow on an excursion to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. And he also arranged for the boy, to meet Nikita Mikhalkov. Stanislav said that he greatly appreciates the work of the famous director and would like to communicate with him personally.

And now Stanislav is in touch with Nikita Mikhalkov. So far, only in the video call mode. But, as diplomats say in such cases "with the mediation of the Foreign Minister, an agreement was reached on a personal meeting between the boy and the director." It should take place after the holidays. Nikita Mikhalkov, in his own words, was glad to talk with the young Petersburger.

Borell Is Upset At His Non Participation In Talks, Forgetting EU Lost Sovereignty In Favor US

A statement by EU top diplomat Josep Borrell on Brussels’ possible contribution to negotiations on European security looks strange amid the policy pursued by the European Union, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a briefing on Thursday.

"I would like to stress once again that if the EU’s Brussels sincerely wanted and wished it, it could have done far more to prevent the developments in Europe under a scenario unacceptable for Russia.

Moreover, not only for Russia but generally for developing Russia-EU interaction. Nothing of this has been done," the spokeswoman said.

"Amid this background, the claim by Mr. Borrell on some hypothetical contribution by the EU to the discussion on security guarantees in Europe looks very strange," the diplomat stressed.

"Possibly, the EU diplomacy head has simply forgotten that for the EU countries - and 21 of them are NATO members - it is the alliance that now remains ‘the foundation of their collective defense and the forum for its implementation,’" Zakharova said

"Let me remind you where this direct quote comes from: this is article 42.7 of the baseline Treaty on the European Union. Moreover, in its two joint declarations signed with the alliance since 2016, the EU even agreed to use its defense potential, as was set forth there, in the interests of NATO," the Russian diplomat added.

In other words, the EU’s Brussels voluntarily assigned the lion’s share of its military sovereignty to NATO’s Brussels, Zakharova said.

"This was done not only in favor of NATO, and I mean sacrificing its own sovereignty, but such a gift was also made directly for the United States. In this regard, it is unclear why the EU diplomacy head feels upset about the EU’s non-participation in the discussions on security guarantees in Europe. You have voluntarily agreed to the loss of sovereignty in favor of decision-making either by the United States solely or under the NATO umbrella but by the United States again," the Russian diplomat said.

The spokeswoman also pointed to another remark by the EU diplomacy head who stated that advancing non-negotiable written terms to the opposite side was a winner’s privilege.

"It looks as if the European Union has never tried to impose its approaches on Russia with its actions from such ultimatum-like and haughty positions. Honestly speaking, I am not sure that this can relate to a winner or to the logic of the winner’s actions but surely this relates to haughtiness and I mean the steps that Brussels earlier made," the Russian diplomat said.

Brussels has done a lot to escalate tension in Europe with its actions, the spokeswoman said. In particular, in 2009 it invented the Eastern Partnership format aimed at countering Russian integration initiatives and carving out a sphere of influence for itself in the post-Soviet space. Also, the EU persistently pushed for a draft of an association agreement with Ukraine, she pointed out.

"Let me remind you that it became a real trigger for protests that grew into an anti-Constitutional coup in February 2014, again with the blessing of the West, first of all, representatives of the European Union and the United States, and which progressed somewhere with the tacit and somewhere with the active consent and support of Western partners," Zakharova said.

Also, Brussels unilaterally curtailed the versatile architecture of cooperation and dialogue with Russia that had been developed for years, and slapped Russia with illegitimate unilateral restrictions, the Russian diplomat went on to say.

"To the accompaniment of groundless accusations, it highlighted our country in its doctrinal guidelines as a strategic challenge and almost the prime source of some hybrid threats to the security of the European Union," the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said.

Putin, Biden Will Hold Telephone Conversation On Security Guarantees

A phone conversation between Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden is scheduled for Thursday at 23:30 Moscow time (15:30 Eastern Standard Time). 

This will be their second conversation in a month. In early December, the leaders talked via video link for two hours.

The conversation will take place ahead of consultations on security guarantees in Geneva with the American delegation on January 10, and with NATO in Brussels on January 12.

Russia is counting on a dialogue on equal terms. Vladimir Putin has repeatedly listed the "red lines" that the United States and the North Atlantic alliance should not cross. And here legal guarantees are important. They are drawn up in documents that the Russian side handed over to Washington and the headquarters of the military bloc. In particular, NATO should rule out its further eastward expansion. Also, it is necessary to discuss a return to the old system of mutual deterrence. The problem arose after the US withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.

the upcoming negotiations were commented on today by the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova during a briefing.

"In the course of the negotiations, we will seek from the American side submissions of firm legal guarantees of security, namely, not the advancement of NATO to the East and not the deployment of weapons systems that threaten Russia near the borders of our country,"she said.

Putin Says Russia Fully Completed Nord Stream 2, Now It's Up To Europe

Russia and its partners have fulfilled their task of creating Nord Stream 2, now it is for Europeans to decide upon it, Vladimir Putin said at a meeting on the autumn-winter heating season on Wednesday.

He said this after Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller reported that the second string of the gas pipeline had been filled with technical gas.

"These are the issues that our partners in Europe should resolve. Now it is their turn. We and our partners, by the way, European companies, have completed the task of creating this additional route. Nord Stream 2 is ready to go," the President said.

"I would like to congratulate Gazprom and your partners in the Nord Stream 2 project on the completion of work on the creation of this large additional pipeline and on the fact that it is ready for operation," Putin said.

He stressed that "as soon as they (European partners) make a decision on the start of its operation, large additional volumes of Russian gas will immediately flow to Europe." Putin recalled that this would be about 55 billion cubic meters per year.

Putin expressed confidence that the launch of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline will lead to a decrease in gas prices in Europe, including for Ukraine.

"This will undoubtedly affect the price on the market, on the spot. All those countries and consumers of these countries that consume Russian gas, will immediately feel it. This also applies to economic participants and households," Putin said after head of Gazprom, Alexey Miller, reported on the completion of the filling of the second string of the gas pipeline with technical gas.

The head of state added that "even for Ukraine, this (the launch of Nord Stream 2) will lead to a price reduction," "because they take a significant amount of Russian gas at the European market price."

Putin noted that the price for Ukraine is now quite high, reaching "a thousand and more dollars per thousand cubic meters."

"Of course, this will also affect the price for a country like Ukraine, which for political reasons, unfortunately, refuses to directly take Russian gas and is forced to take it at such high prices," he said. Putin expressed confidence that the launch of the gas pipeline will positively affect the price for Kiev.

Putin, Lukashenko Clash In Ice After Awarding Of Hockey Stars

Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko hit the ice together in a friendly ice hockey match on Wednesday in Saint Petersburg.

Putin was wearing his hockey jersey, sporting number 11, while Lukashenko wore No. 01 jersey. Other players in today’s match were famous ice hockey players, including Pavel Bure, Alexei Kasatonov, Valery Kamensky, Ilya Kovalchuk and Vyacheslav Fetisov.

Putin and Lukashenko played for the ‘White Team’ against the ‘Red Team’ during the match on Wednesday and they both enjoyed later the win of 18-7 over their opponents.

The score in the match was opened on the 3rd minute with a netter from Russian President Putin. President of Belarus Lukashenko scored another goal shortly after. In all, Russian President Putin scored seven goals and his Belarusian opponent Lukashenko netted two more.

Before the start of the match, President Putin presented state awards to famous stars of Soviet and Russian ice hockey.

Alexander Yakushev, Chairman of the Council of Legends of the Night Hockey League, was awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, III degree.

The Order of Alexander Nevsky was awarded to Valery Kamensky, Vice President for Development of the Continental Hockey League, and Alexei Kasatonov, member of the Board of the USSR Hockey Legends Club.

St Petersburg Hosts 6th In Year Putin-Lukashenko Summit

Vladimir Putin held talks on Wednesday in St. Petersburg with Alexander Lukashenko. This is their sixth meeting this year.

Russia and Belarus will hold joint military exercises in the first quarter of next year. The presidents discussed both defense cooperation and economic interaction. Trade turnover increased by a third, despite the pandemic.

The ties between the two countries are becoming ever closer, as it should be during the construction of a union state. Belarusian enterprises, for example, got the opportunity to participate in the competition for state orders in Russia, which in turn increases their competitiveness.

In September 2021, Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko agreed on union programs - these are 28 main steps for the further integration of Russia and Belarus. In early November, the roadmaps were approved during a meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State.

After last year's slump in mutual trade caused by the coronavirus pandemic, trade has recovered. The growth for this year is 36%. Close economic integration between the two countries helped Belarus to withstand both economic and political pressure from the West.

The key to success is the development of integration in all spheres - from economy and finance to the defense industry and the army. The presidents also discussed plans to organize joint military exercises.

Lavrov Says West Is Notorious For Empty Talk And Endless Discussions

What matters the most is that there is less empty talk, so that they don’t water down our proposals in endless discussions, which is something the West knows how to do and is notorious for, Sergey Lavrov said, answering a question from Vladimir Solovyov about the upcoming security talks with the US and NATO in January.

"These diplomatic efforts must yield results. Even more importantly, these results must be achieved within a determined timeframe. we did not put forward any ultimatums. however, engaging in never-ending talks during which the West once again will make ambiguous promises, and will then definitely double-cross us down the road – we do no need that. in this context, the United States is our main negotiating party. it is with the United States that we will hold the main round of talks right after the New Year holidays,"he added.

St Petersburg Hosts Informal CIS Summit

On Tuesday, St Petersburg hosted the annual informal summit meeting of heads of state of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

In St. Petersburg, the heads of the CIS countries met for the last time exactly two years ago. Of course, the world has changed a lot since then. Primarily due to the situation with the coronavirus. And everyone noticed how far from each other the leaders of the states sat. Vladimir Putin also touched on the topic of coronavirus in his opening speech.

The President also drew attention to the fact that, according to the latest research by the Gamelei Center, our Sputnik V vaccine also works perfectly against the Omicron strain.

Then the president gave the floor to the head of Rospotrebnadzor, Anna Popova, who spoke about the current situation and the need for a general plan to combat the pandemic.

The Commonwealth of Independent States celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. The CIS is 16% of the world territory; about a third of the world's coal and natural gas reserves, 20% of oil are concentrated on it. Therefore, the Commonwealth directly affects the economic and political climate not only in Eurasia, but throughout the world.

Putin Meets Kazakhstan's First President Ahead Of CIS Summit In St Petersburg

Before the informal CIS Summit, on Tuesday, Vladimir Putin met separately with the first President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, who was at the forefront of the creation of CIS and EAEU.

Putin Meets Tajikistan's Rakhmon Ahead Of CIS Summit

On the eve of the CIS Summit, Vladimir Putin met with President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon at St. Petersburg's Constantine Palace on Tuesday.

Putin Fulfills Wishes: Osor Becomes Firefighter, Mark Gets Apartment In Addition To Guitar

"Everything will work out!" So the president told 14-year-old Mark, fulfilling his New Year's wish, and the life of a boy from the Moscow region has really changed. Mark, who dreamed of a guitar and knew - he even had nowhere to live - every day picks up chords more and more boldly, and now he is in his own room.

Today they are celebrating a housewarming in a spacious two-room apartment next to the music school where Mark will study.

Mark and his mother moved to their own apartment just a few days after they told the president: they were forced to huddle with friends - in a large family, where they are expecting their seventh child. The head of state also helped to solve their housing issue. Vladimir Putin thanked Anastasia and Yaroslav Bakharev for their kindness.

Today the dream of another child, whose balloon Vladimir Putin chose at the New Year's Tree of Wishes, has come true. 5-year-old Osor from Buryatia decided to play the role of a firefighter. He boldly climbed the stairs of the fire engine, appreciated the rare motorcycle. Together with the rescuers, he waited for an alarm. And already under his control, the fire was extinguished here. And then Vladimir Putin asked the boy about his impressions.

Osor, who dreams of becoming a lifeguard himself, has a rare genetic disease. Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Any movement is difficult for him. Together with Osora's mother, the president discussed how to help the boy - the Circle of Kindness fund has been established especially for such patients in the country.

Putin, together with Osor's mother and the Minister of Health, discussed the boy's treatment.

Kadyrov: 'I Would Have Already Annexed Ukraine To Russia If Putin Approved It'

The head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov, said on Monday that he would have annexed Ukraine to Russia long ago if he had received an order from President Putin.

Zakharova Blames US Of Non-Compliance With Its Obligations As Host Country Of UN Headquarters

The United States is abusing its status as the host country of the UN headquarters and violating its international obligations, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a briefing on Friday.

"The United States regularly denies and delays visas or fails to extend visas in due time exclusively on grounds of nationality. measures of discrimination, such as limitations on the movement of diplomats and personnel of the UN Secretariat, not only from Russia but from other countries as well,"she added.

Also, Zakharova recalled that five years ago, the US State Department blocked access to the official premises of the Permanent Mission of Russia to the UN.

"The premises were bought in 1953 and are the property of the Russian Federation. in the period since 1953, we faithfully complied with all our obligations as the premises’ owner and there have not been any complaints or objections. the host country recognised the diplomatic status of these premises. but now the Russian property in the State of New York, which has been used to represent Russian interests at the UN, has for all intents and purposes been seized by the Americans,"she noted.

The Russian diplomat called on Antonio Guterres, as guarantor of the 1947 Agreement, to take immediate practical steps to officially launch the arbitration procedure against the United States.

Putin's Congratulatory Message To Russia's Rescuers

Vladimir Putin made a video message congratulating current and former staff of the Emergencies Ministry on Rescue Worker’s Dayon Monday.

The President thanked the rescuers for performing their responsible and difficult work, fraught with dangers, for a worthy, honest and scrupulous solution of a wide range of tasks assigned to the EMERCOM of Russia.

"All of these tasks are highly responsible, important and meaningful for our citizens, society and the state, and are directly connected with protecting people’s health and lives,"he said.

Putin stressed that Russian rescuers are among the best in the world in terms of professionalism, experience, speed and accuracy in performing the most complex and non-standard tasks.

"You set standards for your colleagues around the globe to follow. Russia is rightly proud of you. Our citizens can be confident that Emergencies Ministry personnel are always ready to come to the rescue at any time of day or night and will engage all reserves and all available means, equipment and staff to quickly liquidate any threat and will be fighting for each person even at the cost of their lives,"he noted.

"Our comrades who sacrificed their lives for others will remain with us forever in the roll of honour of the Emergencies Ministry’s best personnel. Among them are courageous and fearless rescue workers who died at the Listvyazhnaya mine and the Emergencies Minister, Army General Yevgeny Zinichev,"Putin stressed.

Putin Warns Russia Have Nowhere To Step Back

Russia’s only goal in dialogue with the West is to reach agreements ensuring the security of the country and its people, Vladimir Putin said.

"Our proposal [on security guarantees] is open and clear. We want people I Russia, in Ukraine, in Europe, and in the United States to understand our idea we want to implement during these negotiating process. I see nothing wrong about it," he said in an interview with the Moscow.Kremlin.Putin program on the Rossiya-1 television channel.

"It sets certain limits for all participants in this [negotiating] process. But we have only one goal - to reach agreements ensuring the security of Russia and its people now and in the long-term perspective," he stressed.

According to the president, Moscow is afraid that the West may use its proposals as a possibility to create threats to Russia from the territories of neighboring countries.

"We do have fears that, as I have already said, any our initiative may be used to fill it with destructive agenda of creating threats to us on the territories of our neighboring countries," he said in an interview with Moscow.Kremlin.Putin program on the Rossiya-1 television channel.

"They will indulge in endless talk about the necessity of negotiations but will do nothing but pump a neighboring country with state-of-the-art weapons systems and build up threats to Russia, and we will have to do something with these threats," he noted.

The Russian head of state recalled that he had spoken about the red line that cannot be crossed. "I want everyone both in our country and abroad, our partners to clearly understand: the matter is not in a line we don’t want anyone to cross. The matter is that we have nowhere to step back," he stressed.

"They have driven us to such a line, excuse my language, that we have nowhere to move," Putin said, adding that he has already pointed to the risks of new supplies of missile systems deployed at a distance of four to five minute’s flight to Moscow. "Well, where are you going to go now? They have simply driven us to the state when we must say: stop!," Putin said, adding that is why Russia’s initiative on security guarantees talks was made public.

Russia may choose various responses based on advice from military experts if US and NATO decline to provide security guarantees, Putin said.

"It may vary," he said in an interview with the Moscow. Kremlin. Putin program. "It will depend on the proposals that our military experts will make to me."

The president said Russia will seek to achieve a positive outcome in the talks on security guarantees.

Russia made the proposals on the matter in order "to reach a legally binding outcome of diplomatic talks on the documents," he said. "That’s what we will strive for."

Putin said during his news conference on December 23 that Moscow will base its further steps on the need to achieve unconditional security for Russia in the long term, regardless of how talks with the US on security guarantees unfold. He said Russia made it clear it won’t tolerate NATO’s further eastward expansion.

The US has moved its missiles to Russia’s doorstep, he said, and wondered how the US would feel if Russia were to place its missiles in Mexico or Canada.

On December 17, the Russian Foreign Ministry released draft agreements on security guarantees addressed to the US and NATO. They had been handed over to a US representative at a meeting at the Russian Foreign Ministry on December 15.

Putin Plans To ‘Listen To The President’ Along With His Family On New Year’s

Vladimir Putin said on Sunday he plans to see in New Year with his family and listen to the president’s New Year address to the nation.

He shared his plans with the Moscow.Kremlin.Putin program on the Rossiya-1 television channel.

When asked how he plans to spend the New Year night, the president said smilingly, "We will be sitting with the family, seeing in New Year, listening to the president."

Putin On New Ethic: Russia's Traditional Values Confront West Obscurantism

Russia’s peoples have enough deep immunity and protection systems against this obscurantism (new ethic of West), Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

"And it should be countered not by direct instructions, slapdowns or accusations but rather by upholding our traditional values, which I always keep saying,"he added.

Putin said that with modern communications, the arrival of neoliberal Western values in Russia is inevitable.

"It is very much like the coronavirus pandemic. New strains keep popping up, and we can’t get away from it. What we need is to look for a proper antidote, Putin noted.

The Russian leader also gave examples of the application of these dubious values in the West, which is contrary to simple common sense.

"All the peoples of the Russian Federation have a certain inner moral protection against the obscurantism you mentioned. Let them do whatever they want over there. We must take the most progressive and the best which helps us develop, move on, be leaders in technology, in the economy, humanitarian areas,"Putin stressed.

Putin Says Donbass' Future Should Be Determined By Its Residents - Or 'Donbass Spring' Is Coming?

The future of Donbass must be determined by the people who live in Donbass ...There is no other way, Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

Isn't this statement by the Russian leader a rather transparent allusion to the self-determination of Donbass residents, following the example of the Crimeans? It looks like Putin is preparing the world community for the "Donbass spring," that is, for holding a referendum on self-determination and joining the Russian Federation this long-suffering territory.

Putin has repeatedly emphasized that Russia will not attack Ukraine (which is absolutely inconsistent with the hysteria in the Western media about this), but he will not be weak-willed to look at the military solution of this issue by the Kiev regime.

The President gives examples of the activities of the current Ukrainian authorities, which are directed in the opposite direction from the Minsk agreements, that is, from the peaceful solution of this issue, which also shows, in my opinion, a high probability of the scenario described above.

Putin Says Today It’s Impossible To Build Good Neighborly Relations With Ukraine

Russia is willing to establish good-neighborly relations with Ukraine, but it is almost impossible due to the actions of the current administration in Kiev, Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

"What is the problem for us? We want to build good-neighborly relations with Ukraine and, moreover, we want it, I should say, at any cost and we are in fact doing everything possible in this regard," he said during his traditional end-of-the-year news conference in Moscow.

"However, how can we build these relations with the present-day administration [in Ukraine] considering what they are doing at the moment? This is practically impossible," the Russian president said.

Putin said that Moscow was ready to work with the Ukrainian authorities, "who are ready to build relations with Russia in a good-neighborly atmosphere."

"What’s happening with these authorities? We see extrajudicial killings, sanctions against their own citizens, which contradict the laws and the Constitution of Ukraine, or simply murders right in the street. Nobody is searching for these murderers."

The Russian president recalled the horrors of the 2014 Odessa Trade Union House tragedy.

"Did anyone lift a finger to find the criminals? Not at all," he continued. "Therefore, we have no chances to team up and work with those, who want to establish relations [with Russia], they are being eliminated. These are the people, who want to work with us. This is the problem."

On May 2, 2014, Ukrainian nationalist extremists, including members of the Pravy Sektor organization (or Right Sector, outlawed in Russia) torched the Trade Union House in the city of Odessa, where protesters against Ukraine's coup had found refuge.

According to official estimates, the violence killed 48 people, most of whom lost their lives in the Trade Union House tragedy, while 240 more people were reported to have been injured in the inferno and its aftermath.

Zakharova Shows Absurdity Of US Claims About Russia’s Import Substitution

The claims by US Trade Representative Katherine Tai about Russia’s import substitution in the IT sector and its alleged general non-compliance with the principles of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are unfounded and beyond absurdity, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a briefing on Friday.

"We’ve grown accustomed to the United States’ unfounded accusations against us, but this one exceeded all our expectations. Attacking us for import substitution, while we’ve had to listen for many years that they’re plotting against us here and there. [Threatening] to unplug us from SWIFT or something else. I’m sorry, but this is just beyond the boundaries of absurdity," the diplomat said.

The spokeswoman underscored Tai's claim that Russia maintains restrictions on non-scientific imports in the agricultural sector and refuses to accept other countries' guarantees on export capacity.

"Have they heard in Washington about their own sanctions or about the EU’s sanctions, Brussels adopted under pressure from Washington? Every time shortly before the New Year - apparently, this is becoming their tradition - Washington, with enviable permanence and with minimal adjustments, duplicates a set of claims against our country in the area of trade, while adopting more and more unilateral sanctions and making more and more threatening statements, in particular directly in the economic and financial spheres," Zakharova said.

On Tuesday, US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said the United States intends to use the WTO to hold Russia accountable for its alleged trade activities. She made this statement after her office released its "2021 Report on the Implementation and Enforcement of Russia’s World Trade Organization (WTO) Commitments."

According to that report, "Russia maintains restrictive at-the-border measures, institutes behind-the-border measures to inhibit trade, and implements an industrial policy seemingly driven by the guiding principles of import substitution and forced localization."

Zakharova: 'US Cannot Put Up With Inevitable Loss Of Its Leadership'

The United States has got used to feeling its exclusiveness and is now afraid of losing its leading role in international affairs, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday.

According to Zakharova, the United States wants to be always be a leader on the international arena and cannot put up with the inevitable loss of its leadership. In her words, these fears are clearly seen in US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s recent statement that the Americans are doomed to be the leaders as, otherwise the world will plunge into chaos or their place will be taken by those who don’t share their values.

"It means that very many things done by the United States today rest on fear of losing its own exclusiveness, its leading role. It has little to do with real leadership," she said, adding that the most dangerous thing about this situation is not that the United States has got used to see itself "as a master of everything around" but that its current behavior "stems from the fair to lose everything."

"It means that the United States doesn’t actually understand that it has no leadership skills at this stage. They don’t actually see that the world is now built on other conceptual approaches," she stressed. "After all, when a political elite is afraid of anything and demonstrates this fear, it has lost."

Putin: 'Those Who Do Not Let Nord Stream 2 Operate Are Acting Stupid'

Vladimir Putin believes that those who do not let the Nord Stream 2 project operate are acting stupid.

"As for Nord Stream 2 — yes, I agree with your remark. It is also stupid of those who do not allow this system to work, because deliveries of additional gas volumes to the European market would certainly lower the price on the exchange, on the spot market," Putin said, speaking at a joint meeting of the State Council and the Council for Science and Education and commenting on the report of the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia Vladimir Zhirinovsky.

Zhirinovsky said that Europeans "are not opening Nord Stream 2 to us, and now they will be freezing." "They make their own lives worse," Zhirinovsky stressed.

Putin noted that many countries, including Ukraine, did not want to buy gas directly from Russia. "It was their choice. They do not want to buy it directly from us. [Otherwise] the price would have dropped significantly from them. They are biting the hand that feeds them. It's amazing, but, okay, it's their choice," the President went on.

He also mentioned the situation with the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline.

"Gazprom owns 45% in it, but the Polish side pushed us away from managing this system. They manage it like this - some consumers do not order additional gas, while others launched it in reverse mode, in the opposite direction," the head of state said.

"Actually, this is our, but this does not increase the quality of Russian gas on the European market, so the price is growing. So let them do it, these are their decisions, their deeds, but it’s surprising that they are accusing us of this. It’s just nonsense. They put everything upside down," Putin concluded.

On Thursday, at his annual press conference, Putin noted that the reverse supplies allowed Europeans to resell gas they purchased under long-term contracts. He also noted that Gazprom did not reserve the capacity of the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline, because there were no applications from European consumers.

Putin Wishes Cabinet A Happy New Year!

With all my heart, I would like to wish you a Happy New Year and thank you for your work, Vladimir Putin said at the traditional meeting with Government members ahead of the New Year holidays on Friday.

"I do understand and I can see that all of you have had to shoulder an additional burden. you have been managing this workload quite efficiently, acting in a concise manner and staying united as a team, as true professionals,"he noted.

Putin Links Likelihood Of Russian-Ukrainian Conflict With Russia's Security Guarantees

Answering Irada Zeynalova's question about the "Russian plans to invade Ukraine" constantly circulating in the Western media, Vladimir Putin recalled the history of the development of the situation in this country.

"The aggravation began in 2014. Before that, even though the Soviet Union had ceased to exist and part of historically Russian territories with a historically Russian population, primarily in Ukraine, had found themselves living outside Russia, we accepted that as a fact of life and felt more or less comfortable about it. We even helped those new republics to get back on their feet, and we worked, were ready to work and are still working together with their governments, whatever their foreign policy priorities,"he said.

"But what happened in 2014? A bloody coup, people were killed and burned alive. I am not talking now about who was right and who was to blame. Obviously, Ukrainian citizens were rightfully indignant and displeased at what was happening in the country. The then president, Yanukovych, had agreed to everything. Three foreign ministers – of Poland, Germany and France – guaranteed the peaceful development of the situation and the peace process. I talked with the US president at that time at his initiative. He asked me to support this process as well. Everyone agreed but then a coup took place in a day or two. What for? There is no answer. Why was it needed? President Yanukovych agreed to everything anyway. He was ready to give up power anytime. The elections and the victory of the opposition were inevitable. Everyone knew this very well. Why was it done then?"Putin noted.

According to the Russian President, the situation with Crimea and Donbass was a consequence of these events.

"Then Crimea happened. But how could we turn down the request of Sevastopol and Crimea, the people who lived there, to take them under our protection, under our wing? It was not possible. We were simply put in a situation where we could not have acted differently. Or were we supposed to just look on passively at what was happening in the southeast, in Donbass, which has only ever thought of itself as part of Russia, even during the formation of the USSR in 1922–1924? But Lenin and his comrades wedged Donbass in there by force. At first, they decided to make it part of Russia and then said the decision had to be revised,"he said.

"They revised it and created a country that had never existed before. We will not talk about it now, but this is what happened then. They crammed in there the historical lands of people whom nobody asked how or where they wanted to live. All right, this is what happened, we agreed. But we had to do something in 2014 and this led to the crisis that is unfolding today,"Putin added.

Putin recalled that the Ukrainian authorities twice tried to solve the problem of Donbass by force, although Russia tried to persuade them not to do so.

"I personally persuaded Mr Poroshenko: Anything but military operations! Yes, yes, he said and then resorted to force. What was the result? Encirclement, losses and the Minsk agreements. Are they good or not? I think they are the only possible way out. So, what is the problem? There is no desire to implement them. They adopted a law on indigenous people and announced that the Russian people who lived on this land, on their own land, were not indigenous,"he added.

Language came next. The Russians and the Russian-speaking population are being forced from their historical lands – that is what is happening.

Putin said that the impression is that Kiev is preparing for a third attempt to resolve the Donbass issue by military means.

Russia must take care of our own security, not only today and not only next week, but also in the short term.

"How is Russia to live with all this? Do we always have to stay on guard, watching what happens there and when a strike might come? This is not our choice, and we do not want this" Putin stressed. It is for this reason that Putin responded to President Biden's proposal, who proposed that officials be appointed to negotiate strategic stability.

"We must understand how to ensure our security. With this in mind, we spoke out clearly and directly against any further eastward expansion by NATO. The ball is in their court. They need to respond in one way or another,"Putin noted.

Putin Says Prison Torture Is World Problem

Torture of convicts in prisons is a world problem, Vladimir Putin told the customary year-end news conference on Thursday.

"As far as torture and cruel treatment of convicts in penitentiaries are concerned, they are not only Russia’s problem, but a world one. If you take a look at what is happening in such establishments in other countries, you will see that such problems there are as frequent. It is a world problem," Putin said in reply to a question from journalist Ksenia Sobchak.

He stressed that such institutions in some countries looked decently only at first sight.

"But in Europe, say, in France, and in the United States there are many places of a kind that, I believe, no longer exists in third world countries," he stated.

Putin said that the conditions in the penitentiary system were high on the agenda. As an example, he mentioned a new detention center in the Leningrad Region, built after his visit to the old facility on his instructions.

"This must be done because even simple conditions that lie on the surface are of importance," he stressed.

Putin's Harsh Response To Sky News Reporter

During the press conference, the reporter of Sky News TV channel had the opportunity to ask a question to the President of Russia. Diana Magni addressed Putin in English.

She asked if the Russian Federation was going to "attack" Ukraine. Let us remind you that the West has been concerned about this topic for a long time.

Putin sharply answered the question of the British journalist. He said that Moscow does not threaten anyone, unlike the United States and NATO, and demanded from the Alliance immediate guarantees of Russia's security.

"Many countries require guarantees from Russia, while they themselves do not give them,"Putin stressed.

Putin Fulfills Dream Of 7-Year-Old Yegor Ride On T-90

On Thursday, Vladimir Putin fulfilled the dream of 7-year-old Yegor Fomenko to ride a tank as part of the New Year Tree of Wishes national campaign.

Putin Reveals Fraudulent Scheme For Resale Of Gazprom’s Gas By European Operators

European buyers are reselling gas they receive from Gazprom under long-term contracts at spot prices, which are up to 7 times higher than contract prices, Vladimir Putin said at his annual press conference on Thursday.

He noted that there is every reason to believe that, in particular, such deliveries are being organized for Ukraine from Germany through Poland.

"They switched this route (Yamal-Europe) to reverse mode, that is, from Germany to Poland. And they have been pumping [gas] from Germany to Poland for several days. Why? Simply because we supply gas to Germany under long-term contracts that are four, six, and seven times cheaper than on spot [market]," the head of state noted.

According to him, the resale of 1 billion cubic meters of gas can pull in about $900 million.

The Russian leader stressed that consumers in Europe and Germany need to know what's going on. "I have every reason to believe that this gas will eventually go to Ukraine," President Putin explained. He advised European consumers to contact their respective officials for clarification.

The head of state recalled that there is a connection between the Polish gas pipeline system and the Ukrainian one, which makes it possible to pump about 3 million cubic meters of gas per day. And it is this amount that is now being pumped in reverse from Germany to Poland.

"Instead of pumping [gas] to Poland and then to Ukraine, helping somebody not to lose their pants, it would be better to continue supplies to Europe, in particular to Germany, and influence the price on the spot market. Because the larger the product’s volume is on the market, the lower the price will be. But they started reverse-pumping, and that’s the problem. So, what does Gazprom have to do with it?" Putin asked.

"They shouldn’t think that they are so smart and assume that God is not watching them. The problems they created for themselves should be solved by them alone. And we are ready to help them. We are doing this. It seems to me that I have convincingly shown this now," he stressed.

Putin Answers BBC's Question About Navalny, Foreign Agents Law, Power

Over centuries, Russia’s opponents have been saying that this country is impossible to conquer and can only be destroyed from within, Vladimir Putin said at his annual press conference on Thursday.

"I would like to reiterate what our opponents have been saying for centuries: Russia is impossible to conquer, it can only be destroyed from within. Which was successfully done during World War One, to be more precise, as a result of it, and also in the 1990s when the Soviet Union was destroyed," the head of state said in response to a question by a BBC reporter.

According to Putin, this was done by those who "served other, foreign interests not related to the interests of the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, the Russian Federation."

Western countries have given no evidence to prove allegations about Russian blogger Alexey Navalny’s possible poisoning, Putin said.

"You speak about a man who was allegedly poisoned. We have issued numerous official inquiries from the Russian prosecutor’s office asking for any documents proving the poisoning. Not a single paper, not a single evidence of this Novichok, or whatever you call it," he said

According to the Russian leader, Moscow suggested sending Russian specialists "there to work together." "I personally told the French president and the German chancellor: Let our specialists work, let us take sample, check grounds to open a criminal case. Nothing in response. Nothing," he said, describing the contacts on this matter.

"Stop talking about it. Let us turn over this page, if you have nothing to tell us," he noted.

Alexey Navalny was rushed to a local hospital in the Siberian city of Omsk on August 20, 2020, after collapsing on a Moscow-bound flight from Tomsk. He fell into a coma and was put on a ventilator in an intensive care unit. On August 22, he was airlifted to Berlin and admitted to the Charite hospital. On September 2, the German government claimed that the blogger had been affected by a toxic agent belonging to the Novichok family. Russia’s authorities pointed out that no poisonous substances had been detected in Navalny’s system prior to his transfer to Berlin and repeatedly expressed readiness for all-round cooperation to investigate this case.

The amount of organizations designated as foreign agents in Russia is the same as in the United States, but the punishment for those who violate it is lighter, Putin pointed.

"A total of 74 organizations out of 200,000 NGOs have been labeled as foreign agents here, that’s 0.034%, the same as in the US, but there aren’t any tough regulations [here] like those in the US, which particularly include criminal responsibility," he highlighted.

"If you don’t stop your activities there [in the US], you may face criminal prosecution and up to five years in prison. It can happen even when you end your activities and shut down your organization, you can’t escape criminal responsibility. [You’d face a] five-year term. We don’t have anything like that here. We don’t ban the activities of such organizations. We only want the organizations involved in domestic political activities to clearly state what their sources of funding are. That’s all. And they can continue their work. Our law is far more liberal," Putin emphasized. He added, however, that there were some issues with the law, particularly related to the understanding of the notion of "political activities" and rules regulating this work.

And in the end, the choice of the organization of society and the state will be determined by the Russian people, and not by those whom you serve today, Putin ansvered to BBC correspondent.

Lavrov Reacts To NATO's Stoltenberg Arrogant Statements

If Mr Stoltenberg thinks that NATO members can brush off this principle, which has been formalised in the documents signed at the top level, he should indeed look for a new job, because he is clearly underperforming in his current position, Sergey Lavrov said during interview with RT television channel on Wednesday.

"NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg regularly makes inadequate statements. He is planning to leave this post soon, though. His term will expire at the end of the year. The rumour is that he will become Norway’s next central bank governor (or at least he is applying for this post). A central bank governor must clearly and precisely comply with the organisation’s fundamental operating principles. European and Euro-Atlantic security is based on several principles that were coordinated and signed at the top level in the form of political commitments, including the fundamental principle of equal and indivisible security. According to it, as the heads of state and government agreed explicitly, no single state or group of states in the Euro-Atlantic region and the OSCE space will strengthen its security by infringing on the security of others,"he added.

Shoigu Reports On Real NATO's Threats Near Russia's Borders

Tensions are growing on the western and eastern borders of Russia, Sergei Shoigu said at the annual expanded meeting of the Defence Ministry Board on Tuesday.

"The deterioration of the military-political situation in the world continues,"he added.

The United States is intensifying its military presence at Russian borders. In the countries of Eastern Europe, American units with a total strength of about 8,000 troops are deployed on a rotational basis. In the grouping of US forces on the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany, the command of fire destruction in the theater has been recreated. Until 1991, it was responsible for the use of medium-range missiles.

Multi-sphere brigade was formed, which is planned to be armed with various systems of strike missile weapons.

In Poland, an infrastructure is being created to accommodate the US armored brigade, and the Aegis Ashore anti-missile system is nearing completion. In Romania, a similar missile defence facility is already on combat alert duty.

The deployment of the Pacific segment of the American global missile defence system continues. To conduct operations and control ocean communications in the North Atlantic and Arctic in Norfolk, a joint command of the NATO Joint Armed Forces was created.

The United States and NATO are purposefully increasing the scale and intensity of military training activities near Russia. Increasingly, they involve strategic aviation, carrying out simulated launches of nuclear missiles at our facilities. The number of their flights near the Russian borders has more than doubled.

NATO pays special attention to the issues of the transfer of troops to the eastern flank of the alliance, including from the continental part of the United States. The exercises are practicing various options for using coalition groups against Russia with the use of non-aligned states - Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

The desire of the North Atlantic Alliance to involve the Ukrainian armed forces in its military activities poses a threat to security, taking into account the attempts of Kiev to solve the problem of Donbass by force.

The military development of the territory of Ukraine by NATO countries continues. The situation is aggravated by the supply of the United States and its allies with helicopters, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, and ATGMs.

The presence of more than 120 employees of American PMCs in Avdeevka and Priazovskoe settlements in Donetsk region has been reliably established. They equip firing positions in residential buildings and at socially significant facilities, prepare Ukrainian special operations forces and radical armed groups for active hostilities.

To commit provocations, tanks with unidentified chemical components were delivered to Avdeevka and Krasny Liman cities.

The number of attacks by Ukrainian servicemen on peaceful areas of Donbass and the positions of the people's militia of the LPR and DPR is not decreasing, provoking them to retaliate.

The destabilization of the situation in Afghanistan creates the risks of exporting terrorism and drugs to the territory of the CSTO states.

"We closely monitor the situation and promptly respond to all threats to military security,"Shoigu stressed.

Putin Sets 5 Tasks For Russia's Armed Forces In 2022

In 2022, Russian Armed Forces will have to focus on five main tasks, Vladimir Putin said at the annual expanded meeting of the Defence Ministry Board on Tuesday.

"It is important to continue planned, steady, systemic development of the Armed Forces, including in line with their priorities, set forth in the latest version of the National Security Strategy and the Concept for Building and Developing the Armed Forces through to 2030,"he added.

First, it is necessary to continue the planned and well-balanced procurement of modern weapons and equipment for military units and to devote special attention to deliveries of high-precision systems, cutting-edge reconnaissance, navigation, communications and control systems.

Second, combat and tactical training programmes should prioritise efforts to master modern weaponry, as well as new forms and methods of combat operations. In this connection, combat training programmes should be modified, so that they can be taken into account during exercises next year, including the Vostok 2022 strategic command post exercise.

Third, all-out success in many spheres now directly depends on well-thought-out and rapid decision-making. In the military sphere, during combat operations, decisions are made in minutes or even seconds. It is therefore necessary to develop systems to support the decision-making process by commanders at all levels, especially at the tactical level, and to introduce elements of artificial intelligence into these systems.

Fourth, it goes without saying that effective operational algorithms should be established at all levels, and advanced automatic systems should also be introduced. At the same time, we can see that modern military conflicts do not take place under pre-set patterns. As before, commanders play a key role in these conflicts. A lot depends on their knowledge, experience, personal qualities, and those who make truly unconventional decisions win battles. Consequently, during operational and combat training, it is necessary to train versatile commanders who possess knowledge in all fields. They should be listed in the personnel pool of top military commanders, and it is necessary to keep an eye on them even now, to guide them and to provide them with opportunities for subsequent promotion.

Finally, here is the fifth aspect. Given the complicated international situation, it is necessary to develop military and military-technical cooperation with states that are members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation and to pay special attention to strengthening the defence capability of the Russia-Belarus Union State.

Putin Joins Video Linkup Ceremony Of Delivering Latest Nuclear Subs To To Russian Navy

Vladimir Putin gave the start via a video linkup to the ceremony of raising the naval flags aboard the latest nuclear-powered submarines Knyaz Oleg and Novosibirsk during the Defense Ministry’s enlarged board meeting on Tuesday.

The ceremony of hoisting the naval flags aboard the improved Project 955A (Borei-A) first serial-built strategic nuclear-powered underwater cruiser Knyaz Oleg and the Project 885M (Yasen-M) first serial-built nuclear-powered sub Novosibirsk was held in Severodvinsk in Russia’s northwest. Putin watched the ceremony via a video linkup while Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Nikolay Yevmenov and Deputy Defense Minister Alexey Krivoruchko were present at the subs’ launch site.

"Today the naval flags are being hoisted aboard the nuclear-powered submarines Knyaz Oleg and Novosibirsk and the new missile-carrying submarines are entering service with the Navy," the head of state said.

The Russian leader thanked the workforce of the Sevmash Shipyard where the two cutting-edge nuclear-powered subs had been built. Putin called the submarines’ armaments "a formidable strike force" and specified that the sub Knyaz Oleg was furnished with Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles while the multi-purpose underwater cruiser Novosibirsk carried Kalibr and Oniks cruise missiles and was capable of both fighting naval targets effectively and delivering precision strikes against ground facilities.

The nuclear-powered subs Knyaz Oleg and Novosibirsk will soon join the Russian Pacific Fleet, "substantially boost its combat potential, provide Russia’s security and reliably defend its national interests in the World Ocean," the Russian president stressed.

As the Russian president said, the construction of submarines of the 885M and 955A series will continue and the Sevmash Shipyard will build and deliver another five Borei-A and six Yasen-M nuclear-powered underwater cruisers to the Navy.

"We will be ramping up the pace of upgrading the Navy and will be building up advanced surface ships and underwater vessels of various projects and classes and simultaneously developing coastal defense infrastructure and, of course, enhancing military personnel’s social guarantees and raising the prestige of military professions," Putin said.

The Russian leader cited the example of Captain First Rank Maksim Shpirko, the Novosibirsk underwater missile cruiser commander, in whose family seven members served in the Navy in various years and all of them were officers. As the head of state said, this a true example of keeping the Navy’s glorious traditions, devotion and faithfulness to the Fleet and the Motherland.

The Knyaz Oleg is the first serial-built strategic missile submarine cruiser of the modernized Project 955A (code Borei-A). It was laid down on July 27, 2014 and floated out on July 16, 2020. As part of state trials, the nuclear-powered sub successfully test-fired a Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile from the White Sea against the Kura proving ground on the Kamchatka Peninsula on October 21, 2021. Compared to the baseline Borei series, Borei-A subs feature better acoustic stealth, maneuvering and deep-sea running capabilities and an improved armament control system.

Out of 10 subs targeted for construction (three Borei and 7 Borei-A submarines), five underwater cruisers have been built (with four of them operational in the Russian Navy) and another five are under construction. Each sub carries 16 Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Novosibirsk is the first serial-built nuclear submarine of Project 885M (code Yasen-M), laid down on July 26, 2013 and floated out on December 25, 2019. Seven Project 885M submarines are at various stages of their construction at the Sevmash Shipyard in Russia’s northwest. The seventh and eighth hulls of the nuclear-powered submarines of this Project, the Voronezh and the Vladivostok, were laid down on July 20, 2020. The Project Yasen-M lead submarine Kazan was delivered to the Russian Navy on May 7, 2021. The Severodvinsk, which is the Project 885 (Yasen) lead and sole underwater cruiser, was delivered to the Russian Navy on June 17, 2014. Project 885/885M submarines are armed with Kalibr-PL and Oniks cruise missiles as their basic strike weapons.

Putin Fulfills Dream Of 14-Year-Old Mark As Part Of New Year Tree Of Wishes

OnTuesday, Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with 14-year-old Mark Koblenev from the Moscow Region, a participant in the New Year Tree of Wishes national campaign.

The President, who is taking part in the campaign for the fourth time this year, made Mark’s New Year wish come true and gave him a guitar.

Apart from the musical instrument and a guitar training course the boy received, Mark and his mother got to visit the Igor Krutoy Academy. After touring the academy, Mark attended a tutorial organised by composer and Distinguished Artist of Russia Viktor Zinchuk.

The boy shared his impressions of the visit during his telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin and discussed his first guitar lesson.

Earlier, the President fulfilled the wish of 13-year-old Tanya from the Stavropol Territory: the girl saw the ballet Swan Lake at the Mariinsky Theatre.

This good tradition is already three years old. The all-Russian campaign "NY Wish Tree" was launched by Vladimir Putin. Anyone can make a gift to orphans, toddlers or elderly people with a serious illness. The head of the Central Election Commission, the Speaker of the Federation Council and deputies of the State Duma have already joined the action this year.

Putin Warns 'Russia Ready To Take Military Technical Measures To Counter NATO Expansion'

Draft agreements on security guarantees proposed by Russia are not an ultimatum as ill-wishers call it, Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.

"Everybody is discussing them now. Certainly, this is discussed by the armed forces in the first instance - drafts of our treaties and agreements sent to leaders of the United States and NATO on strategic stability support issues," the head of state said.

"We already see that some of our ill-wishers, let me say directly, are interpreting them [drafts] as an ultimatum from the Russian side. Is it an ultimatum or not? Certainly not," Putin noted.

The President recalled the US’ actions in prior years, when they supported their alleged interests and their alleged security thousand miles away from their national territory. "They did the toughest and the most blatant things without any sanction from the US Security Council," the Russian leader added.

Russia is ready to take military-technical measures, if NATO expands close to its borders, Putin said. "In case of clearly aggressive policy continued by Western colleagues, we will take adequate military-technical measures and respond toughly to unfriendly steps," the Russian president warned.

As Putin stressed, Russia "has the full right" to measures intended to ensure its security and sovereignty.

As the Russian president emphasized, Moscow does not demand any special exclusive terms for itself. "Russia stands for equal and indivisible security in the entire Eurasian space," Putin said.

Russia calls for resolving disputes by political means, Putin said.

"Armed conflicts and bloodshed are not our choices, absolutely. We do not wish this march of events.

We wish to address issues by political and diplomatic means, provided we have clear and well-formulated legal guarantees," Putin said at the Defense Ministry’s board meeting.

He pointed out that this was the gist of Russia’s proposals for security guarantees, addressed to the United States and NATO.

RT's Simonyan: 'Tough Proposals On Russia's Security Guarantees Are An Ultimatum To NATO'

Tough proposals on security guarantees for Russia are a real ultimatum to NATO and the United States, RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan said on Russia 1 TV show 60 minutes.

"On the basis of what we see and know, and also on the basis of what we do not know, because I believe that a significant part of such information constitutes a state secret. so, if Russia has become so strong that it can do this (and we know that our President is a very cautious person, and he always measures his actions against his own strengths and capabilities, then this is very cool! This is very good news. And I congratulate our dear fellow citizens on this!"she added.