Official website of the President of Russia

Документ   /

* * *

President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev: Mr Rogozin, I would like to let everyone know that I have appointed you Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, so that you can coordinate your work on developing the defence complex, deal with all the issues of developing this sector, deal with our [defence] enterprises, coordinate issues of placing and fulfilling government orders to deliver defence technology and certain other types of equipment, and tackle all the problems related to coordination of relations in this area.

Your responsibilities as Deputy Prime Minister will probably include other matters as well – the scope of your other duties will be determined within the Cabinet itself.

I feel that you have sufficient experience to manage this difficult field. You acquired it in recent years, while working as my permanent envoy to NATO. Thus, I hope you will be an energetic and modern manager for our defence complex. The sector really needs it, because along with some well-known accomplishments, it also has some very serious problems, which you have reported to me quite recently, outlining them in great detail in a corresponding report.

So I congratulate you and wish you success.

Dmitry Rogozin: Mr President, thank you for this high level of confidence. I regard this appointment as recognition of the enormous work that was done by the team of creators of the so-called open government. The report on reforming the defence complex includes suggestions from Russian CEOs, workers, and our military science. This is a joint work to be done.

I also promise you to work strictly in accordance with your instructions, in order to reconstruct our defence sector within the timeframe set and cut down any corruption attempts with an iron hand. Our country has allocated big money to our defence complex.

Dmitry Medvedev: Yes, you can say enormous.

Dmitry Rogozin: And I promise that every ruble, every penny, will be spent properly, reaching its intended recipient, reaching our army and navy in the form of modern military technology and equipment, so that our Armed Forces are among the best in the world.

Dmitry Medvedev: Very well, that is precisely what you should do. And it truly is very important to have justice in this area, both in relation to defence enterprises and its customers, so that our Defence Ministry, our Armed Forces, receive the most modern technology.

And you are right, anyone attempting to engage in corrupt behaviour should be punished. You will have that authority.

Dmitry Rogozin: Thank you.

<…>