Official website of the President of Russia

Transcripts   /

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Comrades,

Greetings on Russian National Guard Day.

Among Rosgvardiya’s key tasks are countering terrorism, extremism and organised crime, guarding significant strategic facilities, maintaining law and order during mass events, and monitoring arms trade.

These are all complicated and highly responsible aspects of your work requiring high professionalism and a systemic approach, strict compliance with the law and a constant commitment to achieving specific and tangible results in the interests of maintaining the security of our society and state and reliably protecting the rights and freedoms of citizens.

I would like to thank you for precisely this effective and conscientious work, for your loyalty to your duty and oath of allegiance, for your commitment to heroic traditions laid by many generations of your predecessors, starting with Interior Guard battalions established in Russia over 200 years ago.

Today, my special thanks and gratitude go to the retired personnel of Interior Ministry troops, special police units, combined rapid response squads and other services that form the mainstay of the modern Rosgvardiya.

I would like to note that, at all stages of Rosgvardiya’s establishment and development, the honour and valour of its commanders and soldiers, their dedicated service to the Fatherland and our people, have been and remain its main pillar.

I am confident that you feel this direct historical continuity very well, that you realise your immense responsibility, and you prove this with your difficult everyday military service.

During the special military operation, Rosgvardiya members are acting boldly and resolutely; they are defending Russia, our citizens, and they are fighting bravely, displaying fortitude and an intrepid spirit in the most difficult situations.

I would like to wish good health and every success to you, all service personnel, employees, civilian personnel, retired Rosgvardiya soldiers, your families and friends.

Congratulations.