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The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Anton Vaino, Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, Minister of the Interior Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov, and Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport Sergei Ivanov.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues.

We will hold a CIS summit on October 15. In this context, I would like to talk to you and consult you on some aspects of our cooperation with our friends, our allies in the post-Soviet space, the members of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko: Mr President, excuse me, please…

Vladimir Putin: Yes, go ahead please.

Valentina Matviyenko: You had a cough on and off at the meeting. We were all worried. We will have an international women’s forum this week and we are looking forward to your participation. We are concerned about your health.

Vladimir Putin: Ms Matviyenko, please do not worry. Everything is all right. I have been tested, not only for COVID-19 but for other viruses as well, almost every day. Everything is all right. It was just cold outside and I moved around more. Nothing bad is happening.

I would like to wish good health to all of you. I know that all of you have been vaccinated. But do not forget to get a booster shot on time, to feel confident, energetic and work well, as we have been doing for a long time. This is particularly important in the current situation.

Of course, I would like to attend the forum you mentioned.

However, let’s return to our current meeting.

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