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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Colleagues, good afternoon,

Once again I welcome you all. Our schedule for today includes a meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States.

But before getting down to this work, I wanted to meet with a number of heads of the Russian regions and heads of holdings and enterprises of the defence industry complex. Because the more effectively the industry works, the more successfully we can cooperate with foreign states in this field.

So I decided to meet with you and talk about this topic first. We need to understand, I would like to see and hear from you directly how the interaction is going on today, how the work is organised between industrial enterprises, regional authorities and the headquarters of holdings and the Government. I would like to see how this interaction works amid today's quarantine restrictions.

I would also like to emphasise the following. Our actions, I have already said this repeatedly, are aimed at ensuring the safety and health of the citizens. But they, these actions, must be balanced, adequate in relation to the real situation in each region, especially if we are talking about ensuring stable and smooth work of systemically important enterprises, which certainly include the defence industry complex.

I will now give the floor to the colleagues, and then we will continue in closed format. First, I would like to listen to Mr Andrei Boginsky, General Director of the Russian Helicopters company.

General Director of the Russian Helicopters Holding Andrei Boginsky: Mr President, colleagues,

Today, the holding’s enterprises operate within headquarters. Such headquarters were established at the Rostec State Corporation, at the holding and at the holding’s enterprises before the announced non-working days, and each headquarter coordinates its activities with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Rostec State Corporation and with the regions.

As for individual enterprises, using the example of the Rostov Helicopter Plant, I can say that we coordinate activities with the authorities of the Rostov Region in terms of complying with sanitary rules and regulations. To date, the plant’s staff continues to complete on time and in full the tasks comprising the state defence order and meet our commitments in the field of military-technical cooperation.

From March 30 to April 3, we ensured continuous technological processes and the production of long-cycle parts and components at certain locations of our enterprises. At the same time, in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the region, we took measures to provide employees of the enterprise with mandatory antiseptic and personal protective equipment, as well as to create such reserves for the future.

Given the decision to extend the non-working days until April 30 and provide the regions with an option to adjust the operating schedule of enterprises, Russian Helicopters has already received permission from the Rostov Region to continue production.

To date, 30 percent of the main production employees are working at the enterprise. We plan to continue to gradually increase this number. By the middle of next week it will exceed 50 percent, and by late April it will reach 78 percent of the total number of main production workers. Of course, we will keep doing this taking into account the developments in the Rostov Region, in close cooperation with the regional headquarters, in compliance with all sanitary rules and regulations.

I would like to add that the maximum production capacities of the Rostov Helicopter Plant exceed the total volume of orders the enterprise has today under both state defence order and military-technical cooperation, so today Russian Helicopters is able to fulfil its obligations on time while maintaining the regularity of component deliveries.

Also, together with the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation and Rosoboronexport, we work with the region in terms of complying with sanitary regulations when company specialists, from Russian Helicopters in this case, return from foreign business trips. Fifteen employees are expected to return in April; all of them are in close contact with the embassies and Rostec state corporation representatives abroad.

The same standards and requirements have been introduced at all of the holding’s divisions. The total number of employees, the main production workers today, is 30 percent with a gradual increase to over 50 percent next week, and as I said, in late April, about 75 percent of the main production workers will start working at all the divisions. Employees over 65, people with diseases and parents of children who are not attending school at the moment will stay home.

That concludes my report.

Vladimir Putin: How are your relations with the regional authorities and the Ministry developing?

Andrei Boginsky: Mr President, we have direct contact with the governors, and direct contact with Mr Manturov, Mr Chemezov and Mr Borisov, so we receive quick responses to all our requests. Accordingly, we also work together to solve the issues that cannot be resolved quickly; we have relevant schedules, and we regularly submit reports on them and do everything we can to provide the employees with antiseptic agents.

Following Ms Popova’s recommendations, we have organised access control at the companies, work on disinfection of premises, so there is only help and support.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you.

I would like to hear from the Governor of the Rostov Region, Mr Golubev.

Mr Golubev, please.

Governor of the Rostov Region Vasily Golubev: Mr President, colleagues,

There are 25 defence industry enterprises today in the region, including 17 strategic companies. All of them are included on the list of backbone enterprises of the Rostov Region and all are now operating.

Following the Prime Minister’s instruction, all necessary sanitary measures were taken at the enterprises from March 18, and each enterprise enforced the necessary preventive measures. We have been particularly proactive during this period: special headquarters have been set up, workers were prohibited from leaving the Russian Federation and business trips of the personnel were limited. The employees returning from epidemic-hit countries were and are in self-isolation.

We have established daily temperature screenings of workers at their workplaces, and carry out a set of measures to regularly disinfect the premises. The personnel received instructions on the rules of sanitary behaviour in this situation and the course of action in case of identifying symptoms.

During the period the Presidential Executive Order was in effect, the enterprises partially suspended their operations until April 3. We know that it was agreed with the management of the head corporations. Nevertheless, the enterprises went on working, primarily on fulfilling the state defence order. We had an exception, though, which was the Kamenskvolokno enterprise. It has an uninterruptible technological cycle, and it kept on working.

Following your instruction, the regional government issued a resolution with a list of all activities suspended in the region. The defence industry enterprises were outside that list. We duly and promptly notified them.

At present, people are allowed back to work gradually. Enough people are working at all the enterprises which deal with the state defence order. And we clearly understand that, according to the management, the enterprises are carrying out necessary operations under the state defence order.

At the same time, we strictly monitor compliance with sanitary norms. The feedback from the enterprises shows – we conducted a special survey and talked to the management throughout that period – that the measures did not significantly affect the operations on fulfilling the state defence order.

Nevertheless, Mr President, there are several issues which I think should be addressed. The defence enterprises face some difficulties, and we discussed them together. For example, the suspension of suppliers’ operations. For example, Rostvertol works with 122 suppliers. As of this morning, 25 of them are on limited operations.

The next question is the lack of working assets caused by the partial suspension of operations. We have the following proposal: to consider the possibility of prepayment, based on the management’s estimates, of about 80 percent (I am talking about Rostvertol in this case) under the most significant state contracts, which will allow us to finance allied enterprises.

At the same time, the Ministry of Industry and Trade should consider conveying to the regions recommendations to not limit the activities of executors and co-executors of state defence orders within the scope of- their authority in accordance with the Presidential Executive Order.

Mr President, I would like to say the following in conclusion. It seems to me that our interaction with the holding and the heads of defence enterprises has always been productive. And in this situation, we are working together more regularly, analysing the situation almost daily – and not just for these companies, but these are under special control.

Rostvertol has never failed to fulfil a state defence order; I looked into this. And as the company’s management assured me, it will never fail in the future.

However, there is another thing I would like to draw attention to. Today, our enterprises employ 31,600 people, 2,600 of which are over 65 years old. I asked whether their absence would affect the solution to this problem. They told me it would not.

Therefore, I consider it important to fully maintain the restrictions for these people that are currently in effect for this category, and given that management says it will not affect the solution of the problem, we will strengthen our interaction, primarily taking care of the health of people over 65 and all employees of these enterprises.

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: Ok. Thank you very much.

I would like to hear from Mr Slyusar, United Aircraft Corporation. Please, go ahead.

General Director and Chairman of the Management Board of the United Aircraft Corporation Yury Slyusar: Mr President, colleagues,

On March 25, right after the executive order was issued, we received instructions from the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the state corporation’s management to organise work under the new conditions. These instructions included unconditional execution of the state defence order and signed contracts, combined with similarly unconditional observance of strict public health standards. The corporation set up a crisis centre to combat the infection. We are monitoring the current situation at the plants on a regular basis, and evaluating and making decisions on bringing in personnel to work, and we are implementing public health orders.

Around the same time we stopped all business travel by managers. Those on vacation were recalled.

We have specified the work requirements for industrial enterprises with our colleagues from Rospotrebnadzor [the Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare] both at the federal level with Ms Popova and colleagues from the central office, as well at the regional level.

Based on these requirements we made arrangements for the purchase of respiratory protection equipment, above all, masks, respirators and hand sanitizers. We ensured quality (and this is a very important point) cleaning of premises using disinfectants, paying special attention to disinfection of all contact surfaces and common areas. This concerns enterprises, workshops and our design offices, where 17,000 people work in Moscow alone.

We have arranged interaction-free temperature measurement for workers entering enterprises as well as during the working day; we take temperatures every four hours during the working day and remove from work those who are running a temperature or have symptoms of an infectious disease. Cafeterias were closed practically at all enterprises and at the rest of them we use disposable plates and dishes or treat multiple-use tableware in a special way.

Awareness raising is underway among the workers and staff regarding stopping the spread of the infection based on the recommendations provided by Ms Popova.

Signs have been posted in public places to observe social distance of 1.5 metres. Schedules were approved for employees to arrive at work in small groups so as to avoid crowds at entrances, which is a big problem for us. We have a workforce of many thousands. We need to set things up at the entrances in a certain way for temperature screening, symptom screening etc. to clear a shift of 8,000 workers.

Regrettably, we had to start producing medical masks ourselves in order to promptly provide the workers of each enterprise with personal protection equipment. Each enterprise is now producing masks.

Moreover, as many workers as possible were asked to work remotely if their absence would not affect the production process. During the transition to remote working, classified information and security protocol for secrets were taken into consideration. It was easier to do with the design bureaus that design civil aircraft. We transferred automated workplaces to the operators’ locations. The Tupolev, Ilyushin and Sukhoi, where combat aircraft are being designed, organised this process differently. The management at all the enterprises signed declarations on complying with Rospotrebnadzor requirements, meaning the heads of the plants take full responsibility for ensuring safe working conditions. Separate talks were held with primary trade union organisations on wage payments during the non-working days.

During the first week since the executive order was issued, from March 30 to April 5, just like at our colleagues’ enterprises, workers involved in uninterruptible production processes – smelting, galvanics – kept coming to work as well as those in charge of the company’s security. We separately engages departments responsible for combat equipment integrity (it is our top priority, we must maintain the integrity at the prescribed level), they were also engaged.

Mr President, after your second Executive Order was issued on April 2, we, in accordance with item 4 thereof, have organised work to coordinate our efforts with the governors of all regions where United Shipbuilding Corporation has its enterprises regarding bringing these enterprises’ employees back to work. We have received all approvals and reports. These were either written addresses from the regional heads or regional regulations that allow us to carry out this work now. A total of 12,000 employees have again started working and another 3,300 people are working remotely. Tomorrow, 30 percent of all personnel will be working. Our goal for next week is to resume operations at all companies with the exception of the risk groups: people over 65, those with chronic diseases and women on parental leave.

At this stage, we believed that we will fulfil state defence order and contracts on military-technical cooperation. We have a special area for work and the Ministry of Industry and Trade is helping us by monitoring this cooperation. By April 6, we compiled a list of 109 most critical suppliers of units, third-party components, etc. We have sent all of them notices on the need to maintain the current level of production under all programmes, including serial production, life cycle contacts and testing.

This concludes my report.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you.

Mr Slyusar, are there any issues that you consider outstanding or resolved not as effectively? Do you have any requests or comments for me, the Prime Minister or other ministers? Go ahead, please.

Yury Slyusar: We do not have any requests for you, Mr President. We are addressing our requests to the ministers and to Mr Borisov and all of them are being met. First, this is the centralised purchase of personal protective equipment, primarily masks. One example. Our corporation employs 100,000 people and we need four masks for every person per shift, and one mask to get to work and one more to go home. So, one person needs six masks per day. For us this means hundreds of thousands per day. This is a big challenge but we are purchasing the necessary materials and are producing them. The Ministry of Industry and Trade is helping a lot. Their support helped us get our employees to work.

And we have a complete understanding with the regions. The leaders understand that we cannot stop: we must fulfil state defence order, we must conduct tests, we must commission aircraft. So, we are taking measures to meet the requirements, on the one hand, and to continue working, on the other.

Vladimir Putin: Ok, thank you. Thank you very much.

Mr Konoplev, Shipunov Design Bureau, please take the floor.

Managing Director of the Shipunov Instrument Design Bureau Dmitry Konoplev: Mr President, colleagues,

We are aware that fulfilling the tasks under the state defence order is top priority. Last week, given the actual situation in the region and in direct cooperation with the Governor and the Government of the Tula Region, the bureau organised its work engaging just enough people to keep the company running and bringing in production personnel to fulfil state defence order in terms of bottlenecks in technological processes, as well as work on special topics.

Non-production personnel, a significant part of the design bloc, began working remotely. We used the whole of last week to increase the number of personal protection means, disinfectants, equipping entrance checkpoints with thermal imagers and thermometers. and organise transportation of workers and catering, including the use of disposable tableware. We received a lot of assistance from the Tula Region and the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

As per the decision of the Tula Region Governor, not just large plants but also small enterprises involved in the fulfilment of state defence order in the Tula Region resumed working this week, which is important because we depend largely on cooperation. At the same time, inspectors from the Tula office of Rospotrebnadzor verified compliance with the sanitary and epidemiological standards at each company, including ours.

About 40 percent of employees are at work this week. We will gradually increase their number with the exception of people over 65 years of age, those suffering from acute chronic illnesses, including respiratory or heart diseases, and women with children under 13.

Their responsibilities will be assumed by other employees. The personnel numbers will also depend on our partners’ ability to supply components. To minimise risks, we are overhauling the supply logistics and developing a new work rhythm with all of our suppliers.

In view of the stocks of components purchased and delivered earlier, I think we will meet the deadline.

Concerning military-technical cooperation. The instrument design bureau is currently working with 14 countries and fulfilling 43 contracts. Manufacturing under all contracts in effect is underway, we do not see risks to manufacturing the products.

Regarding newly concluded foreign contracts, there are four of them, they are awaiting ratification and prepayment. Financing under these contracts has been worked out with the banks, cooperation contracts are being concluded. We think the risks have been minimised.

That concludes my report.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you

Next, Mr Dyumin. How do you assess interaction with the federal authorities and defence industry enterprises?

Governor of the Tula Region Alexei Dyumin: Mr President, colleagues,

In following all the required instructions, resolutions and executive orders in accordance with your first and second Address to the Nation, we are closely working with Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov, with the Ministry of Industry and Trade with which we maintain close contact. We are also in contact with the Defence Ministry. We have prioritised not only the defence industry. In accordance with the Governor’s executive order, starting from Monday, we re-launched the entire military-industrial complex under our supervision. We allowed them time to ensure they have everything they need (Mr Konoplev just reported on that) to comply with the requirements of the Tula Region’s chief sanitary officer.

We have also resumed operations in the entire agricultural sector which is essential for food security, as well as in the chemical and metal industry – because we clearly understand that suspension or further restrictions would be very difficult for us. But, with absolute understanding of current developments, we are prioritizing the health safety of our citizens and we are enforcing all the required restrictive measures. We are overseeing these restrictive measures with the help from deployed forces such as the National Guard and Tula’s regional Interior Ministry.

We are cooperating with local companies very closely. At the regional response centre, which is operating almost 24/7, we are meeting with representatives of self-employed individuals, small and medium-sized businesses and, of course, our major defence sector companies, including those involved in the chemical and metal industtry, to provide them with methodological assistance.

We organised production of personal protection gear and face masks using the capacities of light industry companies. They were reassigned to the production of masks and received the necessary materials with assistance from the Ministry of Industry and Trade. We are supplying our own region and, of course, looking after our defence industry companies as we understand very well that they do not have the same options, so we are helping them. We also agreed with our chemical industry companies on supplying disinfectants to defence plants at reasonable prices to disinfect floors, walls and common areas. Also, in close coordination with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, we compiled an inventory with calculations and sent it to the companies. Five mobile brigades involving our regional sanitary doctors are monitoring the compliance with sanitary and epidemiological measures. We are overseeing the implementation of instructions issued by the Chief Sanitary Doctor, and ensuring that companies follow them.

I would like to report that, despite the fact that we gave our companies time to build up resources in order to operate under the current circumstances and changing conditions, despite the fact that our region is a special case having the oldest average population in Russia and the fact that we directly border the metropolitan area of Moscow and the Moscow Region with active migration, which we are monitoring, based on the requirements from the Government and the federal emergency response centre, we have not imposed any inter-municipal or inter-regional restrictions as we understand that it would have a serious economic effect and that overall it is unadvisable. However, we are monitoring this migration based on the data from the Interior Ministry, the National Guard and our regional security committee which have reported a decrease in migration. But the flow is still there as are the risks. At our local production facilities, we have removed and continue to remove from operations, any staff whose family members (spouses) work in Moscow or the Moscow Region. They have been suspended. Workers aged 65+ have also been removed, as we previously reported to you.

I think these measures are primarily aimed at protecting those people who work at defence enterprises. But we must not forget that these people are also residents of our region. And of course, the measures that the sanitary doctor has prescribed, if these measures are observed, are tightly controlled, we will certainly be able to avoid isolating entire shifts, which would basically lead to a halt in production if this situation continues to develop. This cannot be allowed, so we will tightly control and strictly watch the implementation of these sanitary measures and, in turn, will provide various types of assistance to help enterprises in the defence, chemical, and metal industries and farmers rebuild their potential and bring life back to normal in all areas.

This concludes my report, Mr President.

Vladimir Putin: Mr Dyumin, do you think there are any unresolved issues pertaining to coordination between different levels of government: regional and federal, and between defence enterprises?

Alexei Dyumin: Mr President, my colleague Mr Golubev reported that there is one fine point beyond our control. We have included all the supply chains located in our region in our defence enterprises loop because stopping one or another depends on the operation of the entire company. But there are cooperation chains that step down, they are insignificant, but still have a role.

Vladimir Putin: No, this is different, Mr Dyumin, this is different. We will talk about cooperation separately. I mean, are there any other unresolved organisational issues between the levels of authority, between the Government, the regional authorities and enterprises, with such distances?

Alexei Dyumin: Mr President, as regards the state customer, the Defence Ministry – the control centre it has deployed monitors the enterprises working on state defence order every day. They are using their own resources for monitoring, monitoring by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, and the whole picture is displayed online at the control centre.

As regards our cooperation with the Defence Ministry, the Government represented by Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov, Minister Denis Manturov, there is close interaction, absolutely complete control – now with their executive offices, of course, not with them personally, because they are all dealing with serious issues at the federal level. Based on our regional specifics, we have developed close interaction with their deputies who oversee the defence and chemical industries, and light industry, and we have close cooperation with the Defence Ministry. I believe that the level of control, the horizontal and vertical management and interaction that we see today is sufficient and fully enables us to fulfil our responsibilities both locally and online and to report on any issues so that we can address them together and get methodological assistance and advice.

Thank you very much.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you.

Mr Khabirov, Bashkortostan, please.

Head of the Republic of Bashkortostan Radiy Khabirov: Mr President,

We have worked well with all the defence industry enterprises in the Republic for a long time already. We have 14 such enterprises. As of now, all of them are operating.

To date, we have only looked at a number of cases when, to our mind, work needed to be stepped up to enforce public health standards. To this end, we have set up an interdepartmental commission, which will start monitoring tomorrow. In general, our figures in terms of work scope and production are not bad at all.

Mr President, I wanted to thank you for the enterprise that I reported about. Since then, things have been going well, the work scope has picked up substantially; we have found new solutions jointly with Rostec. Therefore, the enterprise is working very well. I was there last week and they even showed me a new prototype, so they are in high spirits now.

The general situation in the military-industrial complex is as follows – we are working hand in glove with the assigned Deputy Ministers of Industry and each knows his responsibilities. This is why, Mr President, I have no special questions. Thank you.

That concludes my report.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much.

Mr Rakhmanov, United Shipbuilding Corporation.

President of the United Shipbuilding Corporation Alexei Rakhmanov: Mr President,

As soon as the quarantine was declared, we coordinated work regulations and procedures at enterprises that are completing ships and the orders for them. This work is being performed by limited personnel. We have followed all the rules and instructions to isolate employees over 65. For this reason, we are working now at about 32–35 percent of the total workforce of the enterprise, while noting again that the share is 50–55 percent at the enterprises fulfilling orders.

Next week we are planning to increase this share to 56–62 percent. And we will also start scaling up work not only at the enterprises executing government defence orders but also where civil orders are fulfilled, above all for our fishermen.

We have made all necessary efforts. The crisis centre is operating, we regularly exchange information with colleagues in our key regions, I speak directly with governors and, if necessary, we receive assistance from the Ministry of Industry and Trade. There are no issues requiring you to take action.

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you.

Tatarstan. Mr Minnikhanov, please take the floor.

President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov: Mr President, here is my report.

Twenty-seven enterprises are implementing the defence order in the Republic. The total number of workers is 74,000 people, and 49 percent of them are working now. In total, 225 large enterprises are operating in the Republic, and 71 are not, but we will consider this issue.

The most important condition for enterprise operation is health safety. Rospotrebnadzor issues instructions, and after the implementation of all these measures, we provide assistance. I visited the Kazan Helicopter Plant two days ago. In fact, people stayed home for a week and are happy to get back to work now. Therefore, work will be organised in compliance with all precautions, and we have no questions regarding these enterprises, we have full contact.

As for KamAZ, it has resumed operations, and the Kazan Aviation Plant is also up and running. We have direct contact with all enterprises, with all holdings, and we have a full understanding with the federal ministries. There are no questions at your level; we are resolving these issues at our level.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you.

Mr Furgal, Khabarovsk Territory, please take the floor.

Governor of the Khabarovsk Territory Sergei Furgal: Mr President,

In accordance with the resolution of the Government of Khabarovsk Territory of April 4, we determined the criteria for organisations that can carry out production during the declared non-working days. There are nine defence industry enterprises in the Khabarovsk Territory. They are all operating today. So far, more than 27 percent have already returned to work; at some enterprises, the figure is about 80 percent. In total, 104 backbone enterprises have been identified in Khabarovsk Territory. All of them are running.

We are gradually increasing the number of employees going back to work This is primarily related to the need to provide employees with personal protective devices and to carry out measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Therefore, today in Khabarovsk Territory, to provide personal protective equipment, we are producing masks at the Directorate of the Federal Penitentiary Service, in workshops, and also at the Amur Shipbuilding Plant and at the Gagarin Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant. We have produced 9,800 masks at this point. The defence industry enterprises have no wage arrears. Advance payments and wages are paid in accordance with labour laws.

There are certain risks, of course; first, there is some risk of missed deadlines for government contracts, which is associated with a delay in the supply of diesel engines for ships under construction.

We have another nagging problem – underfinancing of the shipyards, Amur Shipyard and Khabarovsk Shipyard. However, a decision was made at a meeting you chaired, so we are eager to see it done.

Overall, the situation in Khabarovsk Territory is under control, we clearly identified and localised all primary sources of infection spread, correspondingly, we are conducting full-scale work on mapping contacts, we ran comprehensive tests on all those infected with the coronavirus, ran spiral computer tomography and discovered a pattern that, regardless of the course of the disease, everyone is prone to pneumonia to various degrees. It is not revealed by clinical methods, but the spiral CT does show it.

All laboratories are operating as of today. On certain days, we run up to a thousand tests. We are in contact with everyone around the clock, we have established an emergency response centre, and it is working. We do not see any particular problems but the situation in Khabarovsk Territory is better compared to other regions in terms of the number of cases. So we are thinking proactively, opening more enterprises, while following all the public health guidelines, of course. We are also in constant contact with Rospotrebnadzor. Generally, we do not have any particular requests. We are ready to get to the new tasks we are set.

Vladimir Putin: All right. Thank you very much.

Mr Alexander Dergachev, Military-Industrial Corporation NPO Mashinistroyenia, please.

First Deputy Director General of Military-Industrial Corporation NPO Mashinostroyenia Alexander Dergachev:

Mr President, colleagues,

Under the threat of the coronavirus spreading, the enterprise has worked to ensure that the state defence order is fulfilled and workers’ health is protected. At present, 35 percent of the workers are engaged at the Reutovo facility where we have the bulk of our engineering staff employed. They are mostly residents of Reutovo who work within walking distance of their homes, so they do not use public transport.

Where conditions permit, serial deliveries are being made. That is the case in Orenburg Region, Strela Industrial Association, where 90 percent of the workforce is on the job. An emergency response centre was established, we are working smoothly in this area with the head corporation – the Tactical Missile Corporation, with the regional authorities, allied suppliers, Ministry of Defence facilities where the enterprise is currently conducting work. The tasks of the state defence order and military-technical cooperation will be met in full and on schedule.

That concludes my report.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you

Do you think there are any unresolved organisational issues?

Alexander Dergachev: There are none at the moment.

Vladimir Putin: All right. Thank you very much.

We will discuss the issues of cooperation and industry support and so forth behind closed doors.

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Vladimir Putin: Colleagues,

Today we are holding a regular meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation. Some of the meeting participants took part in another meeting, which involved heads of the regions where our main defence plants are located, and the heads of these enterprises and holdings.

Obviously, the more efficiently enterprises operate, the more chances we will have to promote our products on the international arms markets.

Today we will sum up the 2019 results and identify the main areas of development for the near future.

Tackling the challenges of military technology cooperation is always difficult. International competition is very high. And additional risks, this is quite clear today, are associated with the spread of the coronavirus infection, which had an extremely negative impact on the entire global economy.

In this regard, we will need to make flexible and prompt adjustments to the forms and methods of work; we will have to look for effective ways to maintain Russia’s leading positions in the export of military products.

As for the results of military technology cooperation in 2019, they are certainly positive. Despite the generally unfavourable situation and tough competition, the system of military technology cooperation with foreign states worked successfully. We not only implemented our plans in full, but also exceeded them by two percent. Military equipment totalling over $15 billion was delivered abroad. The order portfolio amounts to over $55 billion. Our partners include about one hundred countries.

By the way, hosting the Russia-Africa Summit in October last year gave a good impetus. New contracts totalling about $1 billion were signed with African states.

Of course, the successful experience of the combat use of domestic weapons, which, in particular, demonstrated their excellence in Syria, also plays in our favour. Their effectiveness, precision, reliability and low-maintenance are the qualities that determine the demand in the global arms market.

I am sure that Russian military equipment will remain competitive and in demand due to its unique features and characteristics, as well as the most advanced developments.

The strong performance in 2019 is certainly the result of the hard work of defence industry workers and organisations exporting military products.

I would like to thank the labour teams of defence enterprises, all those who are engaged in military technology cooperation, for their high-quality and, I am not afraid of this word, selfless, fruitful work.

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