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Mr Putin congratulated the officers on their new appointments and outlined the tasks before the Armed Forces, law enforcement agencies, and intelligence and security services.

The President also thanked military service personnel taking part in the anti-terrorist operation in Syria for their high level of professionalism, courage, and heroism.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Comrade officers,

By tradition, members of the Armed Forces, intelligence services, law enforcement agencies and other security services are taking part in this ceremony today. I want to welcome you all to the Kremlin and congratulate you on your new senior appointments, ranks and titles.

You have performed worthily in your posts and carried out your missions with success. I hope that in your new qualities, you will make a significant contribution to strengthening Russia’s defence capability, ensuring our society’s stability and protecting our citizens’ safety.

Let me note that our Armed Forces have become considerably stronger over recent years and are capable of countering any aggression against Russia and protecting our people, our country, and our allies. Present here today are senior officers taking part in the Russian Armed Forces’ operation against terrorists in Syria. I want to thank you for your high level of professionalism, courage and heroism.

We will continue to develop our country’s defence potential and ensure that all branches of the armed forces have the latest arms and equipment. This concerns the strategic nuclear forces, above all. Their share of new weapons systems should surpass 60 percent by the end of 2020, and in some areas, will surpass 90 percent. High-precision weapons play a growing role in deterring potential aggressors. These systems have proved their worth in full measure during the anti-terrorist operations in Syria.

The army and navy will see their high-precision weapon offensive capability increase four-fold by 2021. The general forces, which play a key role in ground operations, will also see their combat capability bolstered. The ground forces, for example, will receive modern tanks and armoured personnel carriers based on the Armata and Kurganets models, as well as Koalitsiya-SV self-propelled artillery systems. New planes will increase our air force’s combat possibilities 1.5-fold, and the navy will receive modern new ships and submarines armed with high-precision cruise missiles.

Along with continuing the armed forces’ comprehensive rearmament, it is important to continue raising the personnel’s combat training. Last year, the number of exercises and training manoeuvres increased by 13 percent. The practice of snap inspections of units’ combat readiness continues to expand. I am sure that this experience will serve to further develop and enhance the armed forces.

Comrade officers,

Guaranteeing Russia’s security depends directly on the effective work of all law enforcement and security agencies, on your coordination and your well-organised cooperation on resolving common tasks.

The fight against terrorism remains one of the Federal Security Service’s priorities. As I said at the annual FSB board meeting in February, there is reason to be proud, there are clear successes, but you must continue improving your counterterrorist strategy and tactics. I ask you to work more actively, too, on your other key tasks, such as counterintelligence, combating economic crimes and corruption, and protecting key infrastructure sites.

The current situation places particular demands on the Foreign Intelligence Service. This is especially true of operational information on the nature and likely development of events in unstable zones in the Middle East and Africa and in some parts of Asia. Developments in the situation in other key regions of the world are equally important.

Effective protection of their rights and lawful interests – this is what our public expects from the police. It is important to raise the number of crimes solved, respond firmly to any manifestations of extremism, and consolidate the positive trends we see in the work of the traffic police, criminal investigation department, and local police officers.

Work continues to develop the Federal National Guard. The first snap inspection of the National Guard’s combat readiness showed their high level of training. It is important to make this new service highly mobile, give it modern weapons and equipment, and, of course, preserve the best traditions of the units that compose it.

At the recent annual meeting of the Prosecutor General Office’s Board, we discussed in detail the agency’s main tasks, which include responding to all violations of labour and social law and protecting the rights of pensioners, minors and other vulnerable population groups.

The Investigative Committee’s key tasks include forming a solid base of evidence for cases and making use of the latest forensic means. Thoroughness is particularly important in work on so-called latent crimes, including corruption-related crimes.

The Federal Guard Service shows a high level of professionalism, which we see in its work to ensure the safety of senior officials and foreign guests, protect important state facilities, and ensure the uninterrupted work of confidential communications systems. I am sure that you will continue to work just as confidently and reliably.

Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry has great responsibilities. One of the most important is to develop the unified state system for disaster prevention and relief. The Ministry also has work ahead to raise the level of public safety in public places and reduce the risks of manmade accidents and disasters.

The Federal Penitentiary Service has new tasks before it today, including the establishment of a new system of correction centres by 2019, which will enable us to reduce the number of people sentenced for crimes of low and medium seriousness and serving their sentences in the existing prison system.

Comrade officers,

The senior command staff play an exceptionally important role in carrying out the tasks ahead. I am sure that you will make every effort to live up to our expectations. I wish you success, good health, and all the very best to you and your families.

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