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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Krasnov, comrades,

Let me begin by addressing the recent tragic incident that occurred on March 22, when dozens of our citizens, including children, teenagers, and women were killed in a brutal terrorist attack in the Moscow Region. As you know, the perpetrators responsible for this mass murder have been arrested, and our law enforcement agencies are diligently investigating the circumstances surrounding this barbaric crime. They are piecing together the details of the attack, determining the roles and culpability of each individual involved, and analysing the findings provided by criminalists and experts. The Federal Security Service, alongside other intelligence services, is actively addressing pertinent issues in coordination with the National Anti-Terrorism Committee.

I trust that the prosecutors, within the scope of their authority, will ensure that justice is served when charging the accused and during the legal proceedings. It is imperative that the criminals receive a fair punishment for their actions in accordance with the laws of the Russian Federation.

In general, safeguarding the safety, rights, and freedoms of our citizens, as well as upholding Russia’s sovereignty and promoting law and order, have consistently remained the primary objectives of state policy. Today, during our annual expanded board meeting, you will discuss the crucial areas that require our attention this year.

I want to note the effective role that prosecutors have played in defending the constitutional, social, and economic rights of our citizens over the past period. They have been instrumental in combatting extremism and attempts to interfere in our internal affairs. Prosecutors have steadfastly protected the interests of the state and society and addressed the concerns of people during personal receptions.

I want to thank the Russian prosecutorial corps for their commitment, integrity, and responsible approach to performing the tasks assigned. In particular I would like to commend the prosecutors working under challenging conditions in the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics, as well as in the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions. Like your colleagues in the border regions, you are making courageous efforts, despite the challenging conditions, and performing your duties in a professional way. You have been assisting individuals in resolving urgent problems and safeguarding their rights and legitimate interests. We will continue to strengthen the prosecutor’s offices in Donbass and Novorossiya, which is important for their effective integration into the common economic, legal, administrative, and social space of Russia.

Comrades,

This year, the prosecution bodies should step up their efforts in a number of key areas. First and foremost, we are talking about protecting the rights of citizens in areas such as labour, social issues, housing, and others. Any issues related to quality of life and well-being of Russian families, as well as every individual, should be given top priority.

In particular, you should ensure that wages, pensions, benefits, and subsidies are paid in full and on time. Use your broad powers to enforce this. Take a tough stance in cases of breach of legislation related to supporting families, including those with many children, people with disabilities, retired persons, and children without parents.

In my Address to the Federal Assembly, as well as in meetings with soldiers and officers, I have emphasised the public, moral importance of our joint work to support participants in the special military operation and their families.

I urge you to act decisively: promptly respond to complaints and requests, address any instances of bureaucratic red tape, pat answers, or direct violations of law. I also ask military prosecutors to place special emphasis on protecting the rights of military personnel.

Another top priority, which I also mentioned in my Address, is the younger generation, their education, and personality development. As you know, we plan to launch a new national project, The Youth of Russia. Also, it is crucial to intensify efforts to protect the rights of minors. Do everything possible to protect children and adolescents from criminal activity and the risks of them being drawn into criminal or extremist environments. Furthermore, it is the direct responsibility of prosecutors to regularly and thoroughly inspect educational institutions and places where children spend their free time to ensure compliance with safety requirements.

I have already mentioned that the most important task of the prosecutor's offices is to control and coordinate law enforcement agencies in the fight against crime. While there has been only a slight increase in some types of crimes last year, it is still an increase. I ask you to carefully analyse this trend together with your colleagues from the Interior Ministry and other law enforcement agencies. Also, consider implementing a system of additional preventive and anti-crime measures, including supervision of compliance with migration legislation. The situation in this area, which is very important and of great concern to millions of people, must be closely monitored.

In this context, I would like to note that prosecutors supported state prosecution in over 700,000 cases in courts in 2023. I hope that you will continue to professionally and competently assist in making legitimate, grounded and fair decisions.

I would like to ask you to strengthen control over ensuring the legality of detention of those accused and suspected of committing crimes, as well as ensuring the rights of citizens in places of confinement.

Comrades,

Today, there is an increased demand to protect the rights of entrepreneurs and all participants in economic life. You understand how important a healthy and efficient economy is to us. This is always important, but it carries special significance today. We will consistently continue to pursue our strategic line of removing administrative barriers and expanding economic freedoms, supporting business activity, and creating favourable conditions for our companies.

Let me reiterate that a competitive and attractive national jurisdiction and reliable guarantees of property and assets acquired in good faith are the most important conditions for the country's development, economic growth, and the creation of new jobs.

As you know, the task has been set to completely transition to a risk-based approach starting from 2025. Where there are no risks, preventive measures should be applied.

With this in mind, prosecution bodies will have to greatly adjust and update their work when exercising supervisory authority. I would like to ask you to act very carefully and prudently here, alongside the business community. It is necessary to reduce the number of audits of businesses as much as possible and ensure the protection of the rights of citizens and consumers of goods and services. These are two sides to the same coin. It is necessary to ease administrative pressure, but it is also important to consider and safeguard the interests of consumers.

One more important thing. The work of the Prosecutor General’s Office to return a number of large enterprises and property complexes to state ownership is another important aspect.

I would like to express my position on this matter: there can be no de-privatisation, or nationalisation of the economy.

The work of prosecutors is justified in those situations where assets have been acquired in circumvention, in violation, of the law. And, moreover, when they are used to the detriment of the state. I must emphasise that in every case like this, it is necessary to act strictly in accordance with law, abiding by clear-cut legal procedures. I would like to ask you to nip in the bud any attempt to use the powers of the prosecutor's office and other law-enforcement bodies for personal gain, for exerting pressure on businesses and being part of economic conflicts rooted in unfair competition or various schemes related to asset redistribution.

In general, I expect the prosecutor’s office to be more effective in fighting corruption. Speaking at a recent meeting of the Federal Security Service Board, I noted the need to focus on protecting the funds allocated, among other things, for the social sector, the state defence order, modernisation of the national defence industry, and implementation of national projects and federal programmes.

One more extremely important area of your work is environmental protection, the environmental well-being of the whole country, Russia’s regions, cities and villages and, hence the quality of life of our people. You know that this is something our people are worried about as well.

I hope that the environmental prosecutors will act persistently and productively within their broad powers, primarily, in combatting illegal dumping and illegal logging. Industrial companies, as well as housing and utility companies must strictly observe the requirements on reducing harmful emissions into the air and eliminating the discharge of sewage into water. It is necessary to display the same responsibility in observing the law in specially protected nature conservation areas. I must say that I have recently noticed tangible progress in this respect. I would like to thank you for this and ask you not to relax your attention in this critical area.

Comrades,

Obviously, the destinies of people, the stability of the state and its social and economic development depend on a professional approach to resolving the challenges you face. I am confident that you will continue working effectively and professionally.

Thank you very much for your work. I wish you success.

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Vladimir Putin: Mr Krasnov, colleagues,

In conclusion, I will just say a few words. Obviously, they are of a general nature, but I still think they matter.

As you now, our country is fighting to defend its vital interests, its right to independent, individual, sovereign development. Unfortunately, our ill-wishers, competitors and adversaries have compelled us to defend these interests by armed force, to fight against those whom they have armed and trained to fight Russia on the territory of a neighbouring state. Under the current conditions, everything we are doing in all areas of our life must be devoted to Russia’s success in this respect. This means, of course, that the prosecutor’s office retains its essential tools for success. We must not allow any slack in any way. We must tune all government bodies, all citizens of the country to strict observance of current regulations and laws.

We must be focused and effective; we cannot relax in anything. At the same time, the situation is not simple and requires a creative, flexible approach to all areas of regulation. First, as I said in my opening remarks, we need to focus on support for and assistance to our military personnel and their families. People should understand and know that the state protects them when they are fulfilling their duty to the Motherland, risking their lives. Everything the state has mapped out to support military personnel must be unquestionably fulfilled.

Special attention should also be paid to the economy because it guarantees success in all areas of the nation’s life. There are many goals to pursue in this respect, but I won’t repeat myself now, I won’t repeat what I said or what the Prosecutor General said.

What I would like to emphasise is that while the prosecutor’s office is primarily focused on ensuring strict adherence to the law, but I urge you to adopt a flexible approach to economic challenges. Rather than simply taking an approach of grabbing hold and not letting in, let us prioritise prevention by advising good-faith economic actors of potential legal pitfalls in good time. Our task should be to assist people while ensuring that deliberate violations and embezzlement are strictly punished.

We are allocating nine trillion rubles – a huge amount of money – over the next few years across various sectors, including increasing defence capability, support for defence enterprises, as well as the social sphere such as education, healthcare, and science. It is important that we rigorously ensure these funds are used efficiently and transparently, without any misappropriation. This will ensure they are directed towards enhancing our economic prosperity.

Moreover, there is another important aspect, which is generally social in the broadest sense of the word: it is crucial for people to feel that the prosecutor’s office is safeguarding their interests. Justice depends on it, and justice is very important and valued highly in our country. And how well we manage to ensure social justice, in turn, determines the internal political wellbeing of Russian society, which includes the preservation of our state and achieving the goals we set in key areas.

The responsibility you bear is immense, and I want to express my gratitude for your hard work last year. I wish you further success.

Thank you very much.