Straight line with Vladimir Putin: from the Crimea, Ukraine, NATO expansion to hamsters and Alaska's accession
17 April. 12: 00 in Moscow. Straight line with President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. The total time is more than 3 hours 50 minutes. The air with the president beat records of interest among TV viewers, radio listeners, users of the global network. Thousands of calls, SMS messages, questions via the Internet, as well as, for the first time in the practice of direct lines, thousands of personal video messages of Russians (about 100 video questions per minute) from a wide variety of regions were received during the week prior to the broadcast, as well as directly on the air. countries from foreign countries.
The lion's share of the whole straight line with the president was devoted, perhaps, to the hottest topic of the day - it is the reunification of the Crimea with Russia and the most difficult situation in Ukraine. Ether showed how exactly this topic is exciting today, and showed the consolidation of Russian society around this issue.
Sevastopol became the Russian region, which opened a direct line with the president in the video option. Sevastopoltsev worries about the future of the Black Sea fleet, the fate of shipyards and shipyards in the Crimea.
Vladimir Putin:
Answering the question of the Black Sea Fleet Commander Alexander Vitko about whether the federal target program for the arrangement of the military cluster of the Crimea will be adopted, the president said that in the near future a program of developing the naval base in Sevastopol would be adopted, and all relevant programs coming through the Ministry of Defense of the country.
Crimeans thanked the President for becoming Russians (issuing Russian passports on the peninsula is at a more than serious pace) and asked the President about how soon the financial problems arising in Crimea will be resolved. It was about the fact that today many Crimeans who have accounts in Ukrainian banks, opened in hryvnias, have considerable difficulty in withdrawing their funds from accounts or transferring these funds into rubles.
The President assured Crimeans that within the next month the formation of a full-fledged banking system will be completed in return for the one that Kiev actually dismantled in Crimea. Vladimir Putin noted that negotiations in the banking sector with Ukraine are under way, but so far these negotiations have come to nothing. This, according to Putin, today leads to the fact that Russia is actively transferring the Crimea to the ruble rails.
The head of state noted that new subjects of the Russian Federation will be fully integrated into the single financial system of the country. By 1 of July of the current year, wages in the budget sphere of the Crimea and Sevastopol, as well as pensions of the regions, will reach the average Russian level. At the time of the reunification of the Crimea and Sevastopol with Russia, the size of the average salary in the public sector in the Russian Federation was about 2-2,5 times higher than Ukrainian (in Crimea), and the average salary of servicemen of Russia and Ukraine differed more than 4 times. Since March, the level of wages and pensions in new regions of the Russian Federation has been rising monthly by 25%.
Separately, the president announced that the program of maternity capital, which has been operating throughout Russia for several years, will also be in effect for the Crimean Peninsula.
In this regard, a very interesting question came from Siberia (Kedrovy village). The president was asked why they are going to charge 20% of their wages to support the financial well-being of the Crimea from budgetary sector employees in the regions. Apparently, the person who asked such a question, perhaps, he himself was well aware that understating wages was pure fraud on the part of those who wanted to make money at the reunification of the Crimea and Sevastopol with Russia. Vladimir Putin confirmed the information that all the talk about any withdrawal of funds from the Russians allegedly to the aid of the Crimea is a fraud, and that all the facts of income underestimation among citizens will certainly be investigated.
Putin stressed that today the Russian treasury is able to cope with the financing of new regions without reducing any social or industrial programs. The head of state said that the pension expenses of the PFR (Pension Fund of Russia) are about 4,5 trillion. rubles (and this is only for payment of pensions). For the Crimean and Sevastopol pensioners, 28 billion rubles is needed, for state employees - 16,5 billion rubles. These funds, the president assured, will be sent to the Crimea from the government reserve, the total volume of which is 240 billion rubles. In addition, Putin said that in the near future, the Crimea and Sevastopol would become self-sufficient in the financial sense, regions, and go to the donor regions. Putin’s extremely interesting remark can be considered as saying that at one time he spoke to various presidents of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian leaders themselves admitted that Crimea was introduced into the number of subsidized regions artificially - much more money was withdrawn from Crimea than from other Ukrainian regions.
One of the bright questions during a straight line was asked by the commander of the Crimean "Golden Eagle" Yuri Abisov. The question concerned the well-known deed of the Ukrainian president in relation to the country and separately in relation to the fighters of the "Berkut", who were completely in Kiev. The question was as follows:
Vladimir Putin replied that the burden of responsibility on the head of state is big and heavy, and in his personal conversations with Yanukovych the President of Ukraine said: he thought about the need for the use of force, but his hand was not raised. At the same time, Putin began to answer the sharp question with the phrase: you are heavy, the Monomakh's hat. By not becoming aware of Viktor Yanukovych’s weak-wittedness, Putin switched to the fact that, at a difficult time for Ukraine, “Berkut” showed restraint, professionalism and dignity, and therefore worthy of respect.
In the continuation of the topic, the question was asked whether Putin himself would defend the country to the end? The president replied that he had once worked in the KGB and was brought up in the spirit of absolute loyalty to the people and the state.
One of the peculiar highlights of the straight line was a video message by the former CIA officer Edward Snowden, who, as we know, lives in Russia today.
Snowden asked whether Russia today is spying on its citizens just as the special services of the United States of America are doing, and whether Russia is going to suddenly introduce such a practice. In fact, Snowden answered the first part of his question - Putin assured that Russia does not lead any such practices. In addition, the president said that there would be no total surveillance of fellow citizens because the state legislation does not allow this, and also because Russia simply does not have the resources for such practices that the United States has.
The words "USA" and "West" have been used repeatedly in the course of a straight line. The famous journalist Dmitry Kiselyov, as he himself noted, explained with his fingers his feeling about the sanctions that the West imposes on Russia (Kiselev himself is under the influence of Western sanctions). He compared the actions of the West, the actions of NATO with a contracting ring, with a suffocating action.
Vladimir Putin:
Irina Khakamada, who called herself a former politician, and Putin, the winner (speaking of Crimea), offered her proposal to resolve the situation in Ukraine. Khakamada proposed to conduct an active dialogue between Russia and the United States on the current state of affairs in Ukraine, effectively ignoring the EU.
Irina Khakamada:
Vladimir Putin:
Vladimir Putin also answered the question of whether contacts are being made with the so-called Ukrainian authorities today, and whether it is time to start a dialogue with the main contenders for the presidency of Ukraine. The head of state replied that contacts are ongoing: Medvedev - Yatsenyuk, Naryshkin - Turchinov. However, as the president stated, there are big doubts that, with such a pre-election race, the election of 25 in May will be legitimate. Putin recalled that today many candidates are simply not allowed to speak to voters, they are beaten, they are doused with ink, as the Russian president put it.
Reflecting on the contenders for the post of head of the Ukrainian state, Vladimir Putin noted that, for example, Tymoshenko knows perfectly well from the previous stages of work, and her statements about the need to shoot Russians in eastern Ukraine are excessive emotions. Speaking about the candidate Poroshenko, Putin recalled that a significant part of the business of this person is in Russia.
In the course of the direct line, the issues of Russia's participation in various kinds of international political organizations, and the attitude of the “partners” to membership in such organizations of our country were raised. Vladimir Putin noted that it is impossible to self-isolate in global geopolitics today, but Russia also does not intend to hold on to a place just to sit with someone nearby, paying for it from its budget.
Vladimir Putin also answered the question of whether he would introduce a limited contingent of Russian troops to the south-east of Ukraine. According to Putin, he has all the legal powers after the decision of Sovfed. But at the same time, Putin expressed the hope that he would not have to make such a decision.
One of the key moments of the direct line was the words of Vladimir Putin that the Russian military actually operated in the Crimea. The President said that the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation was necessary for a calm referendum. By the way, Putin talked about this before, and he always stressed that Russia did not violate any international norms, because by that time there had been agreements with Ukraine on the possible presence of Russian troops in the Crimea before 25000.
An important detail of the conversation was the statement by Vladimir Putin about the need to lift the blockade from Transnistria. The President noted that today, on the border of Ukraine with the PMR, there are armed formations that are actually engaged in blocking the territory of Transnistria, which is unacceptable. In addition, Putin said that it was necessary to return to the format for discussing Transnistrian issues in the “5 + 2” mode.
In great detail, Vladimir Putin answered the question of what the Russians expect if Europe refuses to buy Russian gas. The president reassured the Russians, saying that Europe can only refuse to buy Russian gas to its own detriment, and that the EU countries today are clearly not ready to take such a step. Putin recalled that many European countries import Russian gas from 30 to 90% of the total gas they purchase. Refusal to purchase gas from Russia, when the economy is tied to the use of this fuel, is indeed more like suicide for European countries.
In addition, Vladimir Putin stressed that, nevertheless, the main budget revenues of Russia are oil revenues: $ 191-194 billion comes from the sale of oil. For comparison: $ 28 billion - gas sales. According to the head of Russia, the only country that can follow the path of artificially lowering oil prices (by increasing production) is Saudi Arabia, and with this country, as Vladimir Putin noted, we have many similar positions (for example, Egypt). Moreover, Saudi Arabia is a member of OPEC, in which Russia has many friends, as the Russian leader again informed, adding that the decline in oil prices is lower than 85-90 dollars per barrel - this is already a blow to the economy and programs of Saudi Arabia.
Putin also talked about cooperation with China, stressed that such interaction can be improved without resorting to the formation of new military-political blocs.
Vladimir Putin also answered the questions of people living in regions that experienced the terrible flood in 2013. The president promised to continue to provide assistance to Russians who are experiencing difficulties after a massive flood.
As the completion of the material, we present a selection of the most vivid and memorable answers of the president, as well as answers with a certain subtext.
The lion's share of the whole straight line with the president was devoted, perhaps, to the hottest topic of the day - it is the reunification of the Crimea with Russia and the most difficult situation in Ukraine. Ether showed how exactly this topic is exciting today, and showed the consolidation of Russian society around this issue.
Sevastopol became the Russian region, which opened a direct line with the president in the video option. Sevastopoltsev worries about the future of the Black Sea fleet, the fate of shipyards and shipyards in the Crimea.
Vladimir Putin:
A significant part of modern ships, support vessels will be transferred precisely to Sevastopol from Novorossiysk. This will give us the opportunity, to a certain extent, even to save money, this is the first.
And secondly, in the Crimea there is a very good potential from the point of view of shipbuilding and ship repair, therefore considerable volumes will be concentrated in this sense for repair and shipbuilding at the Crimean shipyards. But at the first stage, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation placed an order on one of the shipyards for a total amount of 5 billion rubles. And, of course, we will increase and increase this potential of the Crimea, it is not in demand today, it stands idle. This takes time, of course, but we will certainly move in that direction.
Answering the question of the Black Sea Fleet Commander Alexander Vitko about whether the federal target program for the arrangement of the military cluster of the Crimea will be adopted, the president said that in the near future a program of developing the naval base in Sevastopol would be adopted, and all relevant programs coming through the Ministry of Defense of the country.
Crimeans thanked the President for becoming Russians (issuing Russian passports on the peninsula is at a more than serious pace) and asked the President about how soon the financial problems arising in Crimea will be resolved. It was about the fact that today many Crimeans who have accounts in Ukrainian banks, opened in hryvnias, have considerable difficulty in withdrawing their funds from accounts or transferring these funds into rubles.
The President assured Crimeans that within the next month the formation of a full-fledged banking system will be completed in return for the one that Kiev actually dismantled in Crimea. Vladimir Putin noted that negotiations in the banking sector with Ukraine are under way, but so far these negotiations have come to nothing. This, according to Putin, today leads to the fact that Russia is actively transferring the Crimea to the ruble rails.
The head of state noted that new subjects of the Russian Federation will be fully integrated into the single financial system of the country. By 1 of July of the current year, wages in the budget sphere of the Crimea and Sevastopol, as well as pensions of the regions, will reach the average Russian level. At the time of the reunification of the Crimea and Sevastopol with Russia, the size of the average salary in the public sector in the Russian Federation was about 2-2,5 times higher than Ukrainian (in Crimea), and the average salary of servicemen of Russia and Ukraine differed more than 4 times. Since March, the level of wages and pensions in new regions of the Russian Federation has been rising monthly by 25%.
Separately, the president announced that the program of maternity capital, which has been operating throughout Russia for several years, will also be in effect for the Crimean Peninsula.
In this regard, a very interesting question came from Siberia (Kedrovy village). The president was asked why they are going to charge 20% of their wages to support the financial well-being of the Crimea from budgetary sector employees in the regions. Apparently, the person who asked such a question, perhaps, he himself was well aware that understating wages was pure fraud on the part of those who wanted to make money at the reunification of the Crimea and Sevastopol with Russia. Vladimir Putin confirmed the information that all the talk about any withdrawal of funds from the Russians allegedly to the aid of the Crimea is a fraud, and that all the facts of income underestimation among citizens will certainly be investigated.
Putin stressed that today the Russian treasury is able to cope with the financing of new regions without reducing any social or industrial programs. The head of state said that the pension expenses of the PFR (Pension Fund of Russia) are about 4,5 trillion. rubles (and this is only for payment of pensions). For the Crimean and Sevastopol pensioners, 28 billion rubles is needed, for state employees - 16,5 billion rubles. These funds, the president assured, will be sent to the Crimea from the government reserve, the total volume of which is 240 billion rubles. In addition, Putin said that in the near future, the Crimea and Sevastopol would become self-sufficient in the financial sense, regions, and go to the donor regions. Putin’s extremely interesting remark can be considered as saying that at one time he spoke to various presidents of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian leaders themselves admitted that Crimea was introduced into the number of subsidized regions artificially - much more money was withdrawn from Crimea than from other Ukrainian regions.
One of the bright questions during a straight line was asked by the commander of the Crimean "Golden Eagle" Yuri Abisov. The question concerned the well-known deed of the Ukrainian president in relation to the country and separately in relation to the fighters of the "Berkut", who were completely in Kiev. The question was as follows:
You have been communicating with Yanukovych for a long time. Has he always been such a weakling and a traitor?
Vladimir Putin replied that the burden of responsibility on the head of state is big and heavy, and in his personal conversations with Yanukovych the President of Ukraine said: he thought about the need for the use of force, but his hand was not raised. At the same time, Putin began to answer the sharp question with the phrase: you are heavy, the Monomakh's hat. By not becoming aware of Viktor Yanukovych’s weak-wittedness, Putin switched to the fact that, at a difficult time for Ukraine, “Berkut” showed restraint, professionalism and dignity, and therefore worthy of respect.
In the continuation of the topic, the question was asked whether Putin himself would defend the country to the end? The president replied that he had once worked in the KGB and was brought up in the spirit of absolute loyalty to the people and the state.
One of the peculiar highlights of the straight line was a video message by the former CIA officer Edward Snowden, who, as we know, lives in Russia today.
Snowden asked whether Russia today is spying on its citizens just as the special services of the United States of America are doing, and whether Russia is going to suddenly introduce such a practice. In fact, Snowden answered the first part of his question - Putin assured that Russia does not lead any such practices. In addition, the president said that there would be no total surveillance of fellow citizens because the state legislation does not allow this, and also because Russia simply does not have the resources for such practices that the United States has.
The words "USA" and "West" have been used repeatedly in the course of a straight line. The famous journalist Dmitry Kiselyov, as he himself noted, explained with his fingers his feeling about the sanctions that the West imposes on Russia (Kiselev himself is under the influence of Western sanctions). He compared the actions of the West, the actions of NATO with a contracting ring, with a suffocating action.
Vladimir Putin:
Do we strangle them all? What are you so afraid of?
We have no fear: neither I have, nor should anyone. But we must proceed from reality.
We were once promised (I once spoke about this at a security conference in Munich) that after the unification of Germany there would be no expansion of NATO to the east. Over the eastern borders of NATO, as the then Secretary General of NATO told us then, the alliance will not move. And then its expansion began at the expense of the former Warsaw Pact countries, and then at the expense of the Baltic states, at the expense of the former republics of the Soviet Union.
And I once said: “Why are you doing this, what is the point? In ensuring the safety of these countries? Do you think someone will attack them? Well, it is enough to conclude an agreement, a bilateral agreement on friendship and mutual assistance, including military assistance, and the security of these countries will be ensured. ” Answer: “This does not concern you. Peoples and countries themselves have the right to choose the way to ensure their security. ”
Well, that's true. But it is also true that when the infrastructure of the military bloc moves towards our borders, this causes us to have certain fears and questions. We must take some steps, and this is also true, because no one can refuse us either. And it forces us to some kind of retaliatory action.
Now I will take advantage of this and I will say a few words about our negotiations on the missile defense system, which is no less important, and perhaps more important, than the expansion of NATO to the east. Incidentally, our decision on the Crimea, in part, was connected in part with this.
Of course, we will continue to have patience, we will persistently conduct these negotiations, but in any case we will do everything - and I am sure that we will succeed - to ensure the security of the Russian people.
We were once promised (I once spoke about this at a security conference in Munich) that after the unification of Germany there would be no expansion of NATO to the east. Over the eastern borders of NATO, as the then Secretary General of NATO told us then, the alliance will not move. And then its expansion began at the expense of the former Warsaw Pact countries, and then at the expense of the Baltic states, at the expense of the former republics of the Soviet Union.
And I once said: “Why are you doing this, what is the point? In ensuring the safety of these countries? Do you think someone will attack them? Well, it is enough to conclude an agreement, a bilateral agreement on friendship and mutual assistance, including military assistance, and the security of these countries will be ensured. ” Answer: “This does not concern you. Peoples and countries themselves have the right to choose the way to ensure their security. ”
Well, that's true. But it is also true that when the infrastructure of the military bloc moves towards our borders, this causes us to have certain fears and questions. We must take some steps, and this is also true, because no one can refuse us either. And it forces us to some kind of retaliatory action.
Now I will take advantage of this and I will say a few words about our negotiations on the missile defense system, which is no less important, and perhaps more important, than the expansion of NATO to the east. Incidentally, our decision on the Crimea, in part, was connected in part with this.
Of course, we will continue to have patience, we will persistently conduct these negotiations, but in any case we will do everything - and I am sure that we will succeed - to ensure the security of the Russian people.
Irina Khakamada, who called herself a former politician, and Putin, the winner (speaking of Crimea), offered her proposal to resolve the situation in Ukraine. Khakamada proposed to conduct an active dialogue between Russia and the United States on the current state of affairs in Ukraine, effectively ignoring the EU.
Irina Khakamada:
Europe is resting. Does not solve questions.
There is a compromise - regionalization of Ukraine. That is, east and south to give the opportunity to speak in Russian, to elect their power, to feel calm. But at the same time - the recognition that elections are needed in the near future, so that somehow everything calms down there. Do you think Russia can offer such an option, when this compromise between you and America will be found?
Vladimir Putin:
Can a compromise between the USA and Russia be found on the Ukrainian issue? A compromise must be found not between third players, but between various political forces within Ukraine itself. This is extremely important, the key question. From the side we can only support and accompany it.
Vladimir Putin also answered the question of whether contacts are being made with the so-called Ukrainian authorities today, and whether it is time to start a dialogue with the main contenders for the presidency of Ukraine. The head of state replied that contacts are ongoing: Medvedev - Yatsenyuk, Naryshkin - Turchinov. However, as the president stated, there are big doubts that, with such a pre-election race, the election of 25 in May will be legitimate. Putin recalled that today many candidates are simply not allowed to speak to voters, they are beaten, they are doused with ink, as the Russian president put it.
Reflecting on the contenders for the post of head of the Ukrainian state, Vladimir Putin noted that, for example, Tymoshenko knows perfectly well from the previous stages of work, and her statements about the need to shoot Russians in eastern Ukraine are excessive emotions. Speaking about the candidate Poroshenko, Putin recalled that a significant part of the business of this person is in Russia.
In the course of the direct line, the issues of Russia's participation in various kinds of international political organizations, and the attitude of the “partners” to membership in such organizations of our country were raised. Vladimir Putin noted that it is impossible to self-isolate in global geopolitics today, but Russia also does not intend to hold on to a place just to sit with someone nearby, paying for it from its budget.
Vladimir Putin also answered the question of whether he would introduce a limited contingent of Russian troops to the south-east of Ukraine. According to Putin, he has all the legal powers after the decision of Sovfed. But at the same time, Putin expressed the hope that he would not have to make such a decision.
One of the key moments of the direct line was the words of Vladimir Putin that the Russian military actually operated in the Crimea. The President said that the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation was necessary for a calm referendum. By the way, Putin talked about this before, and he always stressed that Russia did not violate any international norms, because by that time there had been agreements with Ukraine on the possible presence of Russian troops in the Crimea before 25000.
An important detail of the conversation was the statement by Vladimir Putin about the need to lift the blockade from Transnistria. The President noted that today, on the border of Ukraine with the PMR, there are armed formations that are actually engaged in blocking the territory of Transnistria, which is unacceptable. In addition, Putin said that it was necessary to return to the format for discussing Transnistrian issues in the “5 + 2” mode.
In great detail, Vladimir Putin answered the question of what the Russians expect if Europe refuses to buy Russian gas. The president reassured the Russians, saying that Europe can only refuse to buy Russian gas to its own detriment, and that the EU countries today are clearly not ready to take such a step. Putin recalled that many European countries import Russian gas from 30 to 90% of the total gas they purchase. Refusal to purchase gas from Russia, when the economy is tied to the use of this fuel, is indeed more like suicide for European countries.
In addition, Vladimir Putin stressed that, nevertheless, the main budget revenues of Russia are oil revenues: $ 191-194 billion comes from the sale of oil. For comparison: $ 28 billion - gas sales. According to the head of Russia, the only country that can follow the path of artificially lowering oil prices (by increasing production) is Saudi Arabia, and with this country, as Vladimir Putin noted, we have many similar positions (for example, Egypt). Moreover, Saudi Arabia is a member of OPEC, in which Russia has many friends, as the Russian leader again informed, adding that the decline in oil prices is lower than 85-90 dollars per barrel - this is already a blow to the economy and programs of Saudi Arabia.
Putin also talked about cooperation with China, stressed that such interaction can be improved without resorting to the formation of new military-political blocs.
Vladimir Putin also answered the questions of people living in regions that experienced the terrible flood in 2013. The president promised to continue to provide assistance to Russians who are experiencing difficulties after a massive flood.
As the completion of the material, we present a selection of the most vivid and memorable answers of the president, as well as answers with a certain subtext.
Minister with a talking name Sold.
Dear Mr. Snowden! You are a former agent, in the past I was involved in intelligence. We will speak with you in a professional language.
I first my ex-wife, Lyudmila Alexandrovna, need to marry. Then think about yourself. (He answered the question when he would introduce the first lady - note “IN”).
Agriculture is more important than cannons.
It is difficult to talk to people who even whisper at home - they are afraid that the Americans will overhear them.
Hamsters do not have rotten teeth. They do not go to the doctors (part of the answer to Viktor Barants, a military expert, journalist of Komsomolskaya Pravda, note of VO).
Let's do without the "green men" on the one hand and without the hamsters with rotten teeth - on the other. (from the answer to the same Viktor Barantz - comment “IN”).
Who are the guns pulling against? Absolutely sbrenili, or what? (about the transfer of Ukrainian troops to the south-east of Ukraine - approx. "IN").
Heavy you, Monomakh hat.
I do not agree that Ukraine is a cursed land. It is a long-suffering land (from the reply to the writer Sergey Lukyanenko - note “IN”).
When Dmitry Anatolyevich served as president ... (from the answer to the representatives of the “Valdai Club” - note “VO”)
Ride calmly! (The answer to the Crimean citizen, who does not know how to pay for a car, taken on lease with the help of one of the Ukrainian banks - note "IN").
Faina Ivanovna, why do you need Alaska?
Information