Published 04/14/16 12:02

On April 14, 2016, at exactly 12:00 Moscow time, a “direct line” with Russian President Vladimir Putin began. It ended at 15:39, without breaking the 2013 record.

“Direct Line” with Putin 2016: online broadcast takes place on the Internet

Today, April 14, 2016, Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with his compatriots for the 14th time in the “direct line” format. The head of state will answer the most troubling questions of his fellow citizens, including the state of the country’s economy, problems in the housing and communal services sector, social security and much more.

The live broadcast began at exactly 12:00 Moscow time. The “Direct Line” with President Vladimir Putin was broadcast on April 14, 2016 by the TV channels “First”, “Russia 1” and “Russia 24”. You can follow the progress of the broadcast intkbbee on the radio stations “Mayak”, “Vesti FM” and “Radio Rossii”, and an online broadcast with sign language translation will be available on the program’s website and on air on the Public Television of Russia (OTR).

"Direct Line with Putin" 2016. Watch online broadcast. VIDEO

“Direct Line” with Putin in 2016 is conducted by Valeria Korableva (Channel One) and Evgeny Rozhkov (VGTRK).

You could ask a question to Vladimir Putin from noon on April 7 until the start of the broadcast. A day before the start of the “direct line”, the number of requests exceeded 1 million.

Text broadcasts are conducted by Gazeta.ru, Reedus, TASS, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, and MK.

The number of calls to Putin exceeded 2.3 million

It is not predicted how long the program may last. The longest session of communication with Russians was “Direct Line” in 2013 - then the president answered questions for 4 hours and 48 minutes. Among the main topics this year are the economic situation in the country, as well as social and everyday problems. As presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov noted, there are an unusually large number of complaints about the quality of Russian roads, but Russians are not seriously concerned about the exchange rate of the ruble.

For the first time in the history of the program, live video calls are accepted. The total number of requests has already exceeded 2.3 million.

The first question is about potholes on the roads.

Putin was immediately asked, “without warming up,” as he put it, a question from the Omsk region about the condition of the roads. "Pit on pit!" - says the girl. According to her, cars break down, wheels fall off, and power “passes by everything.”

“The problem has really worsened,” Putin says. Putin called for strengthening control over the expenditure of road funds so that they are used only for the construction of roads and their major repairs.

As for Omsk, it is necessary to put it in order for the 300th anniversary, the president said.

The head of state also announced the need to increase road funds by 40 billion. The allocated funds should be “colored,” despite the objections of the regions, the president believes.

Putin spoke about the “day of crisis” and personal savings

"Who to believe - the government or the receipt from the store?" - this is the question addressed to the president regarding price increases. According to the president, both the government and the check. Putin believes that rising food prices are a man-made result of measures to develop agriculture under sanctions. At the same time, the president is aware that things have become harder for people.

However, according to him, the rise in food prices is a temporary phenomenon, prices will stabilize. The economic situation has not yet improved, but the trend is positive.

“And what did you personally start saving on?” - they ask the president. “On time,” Putin replies.

Another question about the crisis: “They say that we have found the “bottom of the crisis”. Where is the Russian economy now? Black or white?”

"Gray. The situation has not yet improved, but the trend is still positive. We had a decline in GDP. This year a slight decline will continue, and next year growth is expected to be 1.4 percent. Of course, it is difficult to find the bottom of the crisis. I took with me table so as not to confuse the numbers. There are other disadvantages that are significant for our people. Real incomes of the population decreased by 4 percent, and real wages - even more.

What gives us optimism is that there are absolutely positive things. In agriculture. Our unemployment rate remains low - 5.6%. There is growth, but it is small. We have indexed maternity capital. Prices have dropped by half. The trade balance is 146 billion rubles. This is a good indicator. Reserve funds are maintained. International reserves have returned to the levels at the beginning of 2014,” Putin replied.

It is not surprising that this was followed by the question of whether Russia would have enough reserves to get through the crisis. Putin recalled that the Central Bank’s reserves had returned to the level at the beginning of 2014, even a little more - $387 billion. Reserve funds have decreased, but only slightly. “If we spend them in the same way as we spent them last year, they will last for 4 years. But we plan that there will be economic growth,” he explained.

“What is the government going to do here? The main thing is not to print money. The main thing is to change the structure of the economy. And we have signs of this. In February, we recorded changes in a positive direction. Exports of products are increasing compared to exports of natural resources,” the president concluded.

Putin spoke about plans to work with Kudrin

The President is asked about the possible future place of work of Alexei Kudrin. Putin said that Kudrin could become one of the deputy heads of the Presidential Expert Council.

“He is ready to make his contribution to solving the problems the country faces,” says the president. According to him, he rarely sees Kudrin.

Putin spoke about support for “suffering” industries and cheap medicines

Dmitry Dudkin, a father with many children from Chelyabinsk, complained to Putin about the delay in salaries at ChMZAP "Uralavtopritsep", which makes "trailers for the defense industry."

Putin explained that Uralavtotrailsep is an enterprise in the automotive industry, that is, one of the most affected by the crisis. “The government supports the suffering industries. First of all, the auto industry. Funds are provided for this. The problem may be that some time ago we introduced a recycling fee, which makes the final product more expensive. But, given the support tools, this should not interfere, but should "to help compete with foreign manufacturers. I think that this fee for trailers should be abolished, this should lead to an improvement in the condition of the enterprise," the president explained.

Putin is asked what medicines he is being treated with - imported or domestic. “I try not to let it get to that point, I go in for sports,” says Putin. He also said he is trying to get vaccinated.

He acknowledged the rise in prices for cheap analogue domestic medicines. According to him, the government will make a decision on subsidies for the pharmaceutical industry or price increases in 1.5-2 months.

Putin refused to save the “drowning” Poroshenko and Erdogan

12-year-old Varya asked an interesting question: “Last year you said that you would save the drowning Obama. If Poroshenko and Erdogan were drowning now, who would you save first?”

“You put me in a difficult situation. I’ll say this. If someone decides to drown, it is no longer possible to save him. We are ready to lend a helping hand to those who want it,” Putin responded to this.

At the same time, Putin is confident that Russia is not and will not find itself in a hostile ring.

“We consider Turkey to be our friend. And the Turkish people are our friendly people, with whom we will certainly build the best neighborly relations,” he said. “We have problems with some political figures, whose behavior we consider inadequate and We will respond to this accordingly."

Putin promised to come to Crimea on vacation and spoke about the tourist destinations of Egypt and Turkey

Live broadcast from the island of Tuzla, where construction of a bridge across the Kerch Strait is underway. A resident of Yalta invited all the Russians and asked the president where he was going.

Putin promised to come to Crimea on vacation. He also hopes that the bridge to Crimea will be built efficiently and on time. The President also said that it was not immediately possible to find a company to build a bridge to Crimea.

As for trips to Turkey and Egypt, this did not depend on us; according to him, the reasons for restrictions on flights in these directions are different, but the result is the same: “In Egypt, the authorities are fighting radicals, but this is not always successful. Together with the Egyptian authorities, we "We must find a way to inspect passengers, luggage, food that will make the arrival and departure of our citizens safe. So far, no such algorithm has been found. As for Turkey, there are security problems there. There is actually a civil war going on in the south. We are trying not to notice it, but they even use heavy weapons. Terrorist attacks. Where are the guarantees of security in such conditions? In Tunisia, vacationers were simply shot. Now we are obliged to tell our citizens: vacationing in Turkey is dangerous. There is Crimea, the Caucasus, there are other countries."

Putin refused to answer a question about Lyudmila Putina's marriage

Putina asked to confirm whether it was true that Lyudmila Putina remarried after divorcing him. The President replied that he sometimes sees her and they have a good relationship.

“She’s happy with her life, I’m happy with mine too. I don’t know how the answer to your question would affect exchange rate differences or oil prices... Things that concern personal life are of interest to people, I’ve come to terms with that a long time ago , but are not of paramount importance,” Putin was brief.

Putin about the doping scandal: meldonium was invented in the USSR

The President was asked about the doping scandal involving meldonium. Putin is confident that meldonium does not affect the results of athletes. The President is also not sure that WADA’s decision on meldonium has political implications.

“Meldonium has never been classified as a doping drug. It does not affect the results, it simply maintains the heart muscle in good condition under heavy loads. Meldonium was invented back in the USSR. When it was included in the list, there was no data yet on how long it takes to be eliminated from the body. I don’t think that the decision has any political implications, although this drug is used mainly by athletes from Eastern European countries,” he said.

The next question was asked by Yuri Borzakovsky, head coach of the Russian track and field athletics team, Olympic champion. He is interested in future tournaments with the participation of Russian athletes.

“I understand that our athletes, whom we love very much, are in a difficult situation. Now WADA is reviewing its approaches to the use of the drug, we’ll see. We will fight to ensure that the decisions are fair. The Ministry of Sports is collaborating with good lawyers and is studying all aspects of this problem.” , - Putin noted.

Putin and children: schoolchildren asked the president about porridge and robots

Angela, 11, asked Putin what three wishes he would make if he caught a goldfish. “By and large, it’s better not to rely on fairy-tale characters. You need to do everything with your own hands, rolling up your sleeves. If you wait for miracles, we may end up with nothing. It’s better to do everything yourself,” Putin joked.

This was followed by several more questions from the children. Denis asked why adults have days off, but children don’t. “But the child will receive more knowledge,” Putin retorted.

Ilya was original: “I am a prodigy, at the age of 8 I study in the 5th grade. I speak English, I create robots. Why aren’t people like me sent to the Sirius and Artek camps because of their age? After all, it will be later not interested".

“Ilya, this is a clear omission. This suggests that those who organized this were not child prodigies,” the president replied.

9-year-old Elizabeth asked the president whether he would choose the Unified State Exam or an oral exam. Putin would prefer the latter.

She asked if he liked porridge. “The fewer teeth, the more you like porridge,” the president joked.

“There is some abundance of questions from children this time, which has not happened before. We don’t know what this is connected with, but in no case do we suspect that Vladimir Putin is beginning to fall into childhood,” the journalists commented.

Putin spoke about Western offshore companies

“Why don’t you respond to the slander from the Western media about offshore companies? Maybe you should hire lawyers?” - Putin was asked a question.

“I thought that this topic was already closed, but if you want, I will answer. They do not publish false information about offshore companies. The information is reliable. It seems that it was not journalists who published it, but lawyers. They do not accuse anyone of anything. “They cast a shadow on the fence,” he replied.

"Taking bribes with violins and cellos - I have never heard of this before. What Sergei Pavlovich Roldugin bought are unique things. One of the violins he bought costs $12 million. Such instruments have proper names. He recently took part in a concert ", and journalists wrote that he was playing some old instrument. Indeed, the instrument was old, made by Stradivarius," Putin added.

“Nothing can be done with such instruments except to please music lovers,” Vladimir Putin said about the latest Stradivarius instrument, this cello was purchased by his friend Sergei Roldugin, from whom Panamagate revealed $2 billion in offshore funds.

“We need to work with Russia as an equal partner - this is the correct conclusion from what is happening,” he concluded.

Putin answered the question of who is worse for Russia - Clinton or Trump

“Who is worse for Russia - Clinton or Trump?” - Putin was asked this question.

"We must look for those who are better. We have had moments when we cooperated very closely and achieved very good results. And today there are examples of good cooperation. Nuclear non-proliferation, Iran, Syria, the fight against terror, there are other examples. But "If they proceed from their own exclusivity, this will have a negative impact on relations. We need to treat Russia with respect," the president is confident.

Putin suggests that the United States should not act in relation to Russia from a position of strength and imperial ambitions.

“If they proceed from the false premise of their exclusivity, this will mean that they will always claim a special position, special rights. This is an epistemological mistake, as some experts say,” he said. “We need to look at the root of the problem and act.” not from a position of force and dictatorship, not from a position of imperial ambitions, but to act respectfully with all your partners." “Without this, it is impossible to build modern democratic international relations,” he is confident.

Putin was asked a question about the upcoming elections. Is it worth voting if everything is still counted in favor of the United Russia party, asks a Russian. “As the father of nations said, it doesn’t matter how they voted, it’s important how they counted,” Putin joked.

However, the President assures that the Central Election Commission is working effectively.

"United Russia" is a stabilizing element of our political system. “You can make any decisions when you promised everything to everyone, and no one fulfilled anything. But when you need to make responsible decisions, how to solve the issue of major repairs, what to do with housing and communal services, how to provide people with medicines, these are always compromises, and 100 percent impossible satisfy requests. But this is the case everywhere. Nowhere is everyone 100 percent dissatisfied. There (in Europe) is everyone happy with pensions? There are plenty of problems everywhere. We may have more of them, more acute ones. In this sense, the role of United Russia is extremely important. But this does not mean that she has preferences,” he assured.

Nikita Mikhalkov stood up for disabled people

Nikita Mikhalkov told Vladimir Putin that two disabled people from Rostov-on-Don stopped him at the door before the Direct Line began with a request for help - they want to start doing business, but they are not succeeding. The director conveyed their request to the president: they are not asking for money, but they want to do business.

“We will try to find them,” the president said.

Putin spoke about the introduction of a national currency into the EAEU

Putin, on his own initiative, raised the issue of a single currency for the EAEU countries (which the president, in the old fashioned way, calls the EurAsEC). According to him, the Eurasian Economic Union “cannot make the mistake that the European Union made.” The EU did not wait until all the economies of the member countries were at the same level of development.

“We should not repeat the mistakes of the European Union, where Greece is given handouts from a common pot, which do not improve the situation in the country’s economy. Of course, there must be complete consensus on this issue,” he said.

Putin wished good luck to the miners

“You have a hard job. But it’s not easier for those behind the counter and in the mine,” Putin read out one of the questions that came in.

The President agreed and wished those at the mines good luck.

Putin spoke about the war in Donbass and wished luck to Groysman’s government

The topic turns to the Ukrainian crisis. “What will happen next in Donbass, war again?” - they ask the president.

Putin reproached Ukraine for failure to comply with the Minsk agreements. According to him, Kyiv’s statements about shooting on the contact line are an “excuse” for not fulfilling the agreement. Putin invites the West to work more actively with Kiev to implement the Minsk agreements, and not “talk about the same thing”, reproaching Moscow.

“If our European partners want to achieve results, we need to work with Kiev. We are ready to assist the process in every possible way, based on the fact that there will be no active hostilities. Poroshenko recently proposed strengthening the OSCE presence on the demarcation line and achieving a complete ceasefire. We support this.” , - Putin noted.

He was also asked about his attitude towards the new Ukrainian government. “I don’t know the composition of the new government and its priorities. At the end of 2014, the previous government of Ukraine adopted a nine-point plan, of which two were implemented, and even then not completely. So we say that we have high inflation - 12.5 percent. Yes ", large, but there is a downward trend. And in Ukraine, inflation is more than 48 percent," he said.

Putin spoke about the reason for the creation of the Russian Guard

The representative of Dagestan asked Putin what prompted him to create the National Guard.

“This issue has been discussed for a long time. The first thing that underlies the decision is the need to put special control over the circulation of weapons in the country. This is connected not only with the internal troops. Everything related to weapons is collected in this structure. We hope that we can increase the efficiency work in this direction and reduce costs by optimizing structures and management,” the president replied.

There will be no mass layoffs after the abolition of the Federal Drug Control Service and the Federal Migration Service, the president said. Putin also promises that there will be no disruptions in issuing passports after the abolition of the FMS.

Putin on the Karabakh conflict: violence must stop

Putin was asked about the prospects for resolving the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. According to him, this is a very sensitive topic, and it should be treated very carefully, according to the medical principle of “do no harm.”

“This is a long-standing conflict that was frozen. Unfortunately, there was an outbreak of violence. We will do everything to stop the violence. This issue must be resolved in the long term,” the president assured.

According to him, Russia is interested in the solution because it wants to fully work with both Azerbaijan and Armenia.

“We count millions of Armenians and Azerbaijanis in the country. Thank God, there are no conflicts on our territory, and Azerbaijanis and Armenians maintain good interpersonal relations. I think this is correct. Russia will make its contribution to the peaceful settlement,” he noted .

Putin noticed shortcomings in the operation in Syria

They also asked Putin about the operation in Syria. “Yes, there are shortcomings, the work continues. Employees of some enterprises even went to the site,” the president said.

The state defense order is not being reduced, only the budgeting of the Ministry of Defense is being reduced, Putin said. The peak of state defense orders will be passed in a few years, we need to think about how to load enterprises, Putin said. The total portfolio of orders for Russian weapons for the coming years is $50 billion, the request has increased sharply after the operations of the Russian Aerospace Forces in Syria, Putin said.

Can a woman become president?

Putin was asked a question by a girl Alina. She wonders whether a woman can become president of the Russian Federation, “otherwise dad says that only Putin can cope with this America.”

However, Putin is confident that Russia does not need to “cope with America,” but rather work with internal problems. And perhaps a woman can handle them best.

However, Putin believes that it is too early to talk about presidential elections in 2018.

Putin proposed to “strike at impassability and sloppiness”

“We need to hit, first of all, the lack of roads and sloppiness,” Putin responded to the question of what other enemies the Russian Aerospace Forces will hit.

“And if we do this well and effectively, we will achieve a result when our armed forces will be truly invincible and the best in the world, will be the way we wanted them to be, namely compact, inexpensive and modern,” the president said.

Putin's "Direct Line" on April 14, 2016 ended with a question about Russian swearing and a message from Baba Zina

At the end of the “Direct Line” I received an SMS: “Vladimir Vladimirovich, are you swearing? If so, then at whom?” “Yes, but only on ourselves. There is such a sin in Russia, let’s pray for it,” Putin replied.

“I noticed an interesting message, I’ll read it. “Long life to you.” Signed by Baba Zina. I think that Baba Zina wishes health to all citizens of Russia. Let us all wish her happiness and health together. We will work together to solve problems there were fewer, but more happy days,” with these words a few minutes later he ended the traditional meeting with the Russians.

This time Putin spent 3 hours and 39 minutes live. The Direct Line record was set in 2013, when Putin answered questions for 4 hours and 48 minutes.

The President of Russia today spoke with Russians for the 14th time on the air of the country’s central television channels and radio stations. “Direct Line” with Vladimir Putin traditionally began at noon. This year it lasted 3 hours 39 minutes. During this time, the head of state answered almost 80 questions. Among the main topics this year were the economic situation in the country, social and everyday problems, and foreign policy.

April 14, 2016

12:38 Moscow time: Putin about Erdogan: “We consider Turkey our friend, but some political figures are inadequate.” According to the head of state, Russia will continue the line of responding to hostile actions against it, but without jerks. “We will not find ourselves in a hostile ring, this is impossible, we have good relations with most states,” Putin noted.

12:44 Moscow time: Answering questions from Crimeans, the president admitted that it was difficult to find a company to build a bridge to Crimea. According to him, this happened due to financial limitations. At the same time, the head of state expressed hope that everything will be done efficiently and on time. The President also promised to come to Crimea for several days, including for recreation.

13:00 Moscow time: Answering the question “when will the president introduce the first lady of Russia,” Putin said: “I am happy with life, everything is fine with me. Maybe someday I’ll satisfy your curiosity.” The head of state said that he maintains good relations with his ex-wife, “each has his own life, and both are happy with it.”

13:03 Moscow time: The President of Russia does not see a political motive in this. But, according to Putin, this drug does not affect the results, it simply keeps the heart muscle in good condition under heavy loads. “Russian sport needs to improve its work and respond in a timely manner to decisions of international organizations,” the president noted.

13:09 Moscow time:The President is confident that decisions in the housing and communal services sector must be made extremely carefully: “Today, before making any decisions in this area, it is very sensitive for people, you need to think about a person’s income and the needs of the industry. This must be balanced.” In addition, , according to the president, a citizen should be able to check what and how much he pays in the housing and communal services system.

13:30 Moscow time: Residents of the Sakhalin region turned to the president. They talked about how they actually ended up as slaves at one of the enterprises on the island of Shikotan, since they did not receive wages. The Sakhalin residents clarified that they wrote about their situation to the Prosecutor General's Office of the Sakhalin Region, but there was no response. “I want the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation to hear this part of our conversation, look at this situation and make a decision on the suitability of the position of prosecutor of the Sakhalin region,” Putin said.

13:41 Moscow time: Putin believes that it was not journalists who prepared the preparations, but lawyers who cast a “shadow over the fence.” The President noted that the closer to the elections in Russia, the more such stuffing will happen. As for the musician Roldugin, mentioned in the publication, according to Putin, he no longer has anything, he still has money left after his acquisitions.

On Thursday, April 14, the time has traditionally come for holding one of the main socio-political events - “Direct Line 2016” started with, as part of this event, the president answers questions from Russians who are not indifferent to the problems of the country. “Direct Line” with Putin, broadcast online on the website, started on 12:00 by Moscow time.

“Direct Line” with Putin - online broadcast ():

As you know, every year the president’s conversation with the people reaches new heights. In 2016, the president also had to familiarize himself with a huge number of questions - there are more than 2 million of them, despite the fact that questions continue to arrive almost until the very beginning of the event. It is expected that Direct Line 2016, according to the programs of federal television channels, will take three hours.

According to preliminary information, Russians asked the president a large number of questions about rising food prices. The Russians did not ignore the condition of the roads. The foreign policy situation worried the citizens of the Russian Federation less: the president, presumably, will not focus on and.

However, “Direct Line” with Putin is famous for its “sharp” turns - the president can also be asked questions by politicians, public figures and journalists present in the studio.

Let us remember that the record-breaking “Direct Line” with Putin took place in 2013. Then the Russian leader had to answer 85 questions; the event took more than 4 hours and 40 minutes. In terms of the number of questions, the absolute leader turned out to be, during which over 3 million questions were sent to Putin. It is expected that final engagement statistics for the Direct Line 2016 release will be announced later.

"The Truth about Putin"

We invite you to go through the game, built on the principle of the game “True or False?” In order to become the owner of truthful information about the president, you need to evaluate the proposed statements about Putin:

Please also take a look at our others.

On April 14, Russian President Vladimir Putin communicates live with the population - this time we are waiting for answers to questions about the economic situation in the country, problems in the social sphere and the international situation. The Medialeaks editors conduct a text broadcast, listen and comment on the president, and observe the reaction of social networks.

16:10 And finally: Dmitry from Chelyabinsk, who asked a question about non-payment of salaries.

15:57 So, this is what Putin said during these 3 hours and 40 minutes. Very briefly. See you again!

We will build roads.

Products are becoming more expensive, but this is normal.

I began to save - on time.

Syria was not abandoned.

What company is it that delays salaries?

I take medications - whatever they give.

Türkiye is a friend.

It is impossible to save a drowning person.

Rivers - clean.

Spawning - to be.

I won't show the first lady.

Soap in the USSR - with coupons.

In large and great countries, houses are collapsing.

Don't expect miracles.

Fewer teeth means more desirable porridge.

Offshores are real.

Roldugin is almost a beggar.

Elections are fair.

Kadyrov will still become responsible.

Palm oil - to be.

Timiryazevka will be left alone.

Obama is decent.

Will be working.

15:41 That's all. Now there will be a short summary.

15:40 At the end, Putin reads out a message: “Long life to you. Baba Zina." He wishes happiness and long life to Baba Zina and says that he noticed “not boorish, but rather angry questions.”

For the most part, I share the concerns of these people. We see, but it’s not always possible to do what we wanted. But we will work to ensure that there are fewer problems and more happy days.

15:39 “We have been working for 3 hours and 38 minutes, several criminal cases have been opened,” jokes the presenter.

Vladimir Vladimirovich, do you swear when you are sure that no one is filming you?

Sometimes it’s only to yourself. There is such a sin in Russia, let us pray for it.

15:37 A provocative question about why we have “such a weak government.” Putin says that this is not so, but everything is bogged down in routine, problems with achieving goals.

15:36 Crimeans are asking him to promise that he will run for president in 2018. Doesn’t answer clearly: “We need to gain trust today. Depending on how the situation develops and how the work progresses, an appropriate decision will be made.”

15:33 Putin speaks kindly of Obama, “no matter how much they bite him”: he says that only a strong and decent person can admit a mistake in Libya. If you listen to him, everyone is good and well done, but for some reason on TV they scold everyone.

15:30 Putin responds that we need to deal not with America, but with internal problems. And a woman can handle it even better.

15:29 Little Alina asks if a woman can become the president of Russia: “Otherwise dad says that only Putin can cope with this America.”

15:26 Here is a small selection of how people look at a straight line.

15:20 Putin was asked if he was creating a guard because he did not trust the security forces. He replies that that is not the point.

And a few days ago, Stratfor analysts assured that this was exactly the case: .

15:17 Oh, the question of confiscation of land from Timiryazevka! If you haven’t seen it, watch the video of an agricultural worker who came to meet with the university staff.

Putin says that a few days ago he met with officials on this issue (could it really be after the publication of this video?) and they seemed to promise him that Timiryazevka would be left alone.

15:07 Video question from Tomsk State University. About science and reform of the Russian Academy of Sciences. In general, the questions are becoming more and more boring and Putin’s answers are becoming more and more dry. Last time the direct line lasted until 16:00, how much longer today?

15:05 Putin answered very vaguely about the National Guard. The issue has been discussed for a long time in general.

15:02 Oh.

15:00 People from Dagestan ask: why was the National Guard created? Are there really not enough internal troops? And in the background there is this message.

14:59 But Putin seems to love this topic - he launched into long discussions about the situation with his neighbors.

14:54 And the question about Ukraine came at the end of the third hour of the live line. Putin is outraged that they constantly demand something from Russia regarding the truce in Donbass - this is their business.

14:53 He doesn't cough, he apologizes. Putin is not real!

14:49 Putin noticed running pictures with questions, chooses and answers himself. So far, he liked the question about the adoption of a single currency in the Eurasian Economic Union (not ready for this) and the phrase “work in a mine is no more difficult than yours” (yes, I agree).

They took away everyone's mobile phones - only two were able to hide them. Called the police to no avail. They feed him twice a day with something unknown. Everyone gets sick. Every morning they push me to work.

14:40 The presenter said that a case had been opened against the director of the plant in Shikotan. Everyone in the hall laughed, but Putin wasn’t even shown.

14:35 Irina Yarovaya is on air. He promotes his bill on trade, the wording is like congratulations to the hero of the day. Even the presenter is rushing her.

14:33 Sometimes they even bring kvass.

14:31 Putin explains that people in intensive care are often not alone. And the presence of relatives can confuse neighbors. But Khabensky objects that you can always come up with something, and it will be easier for the medical staff.

We ended with Putin talking to the relevant ministers.

14:29 Khabensky spoke for a very long time, but the question, apparently, is about this.

14:24 Konstantin Khabensky today presents his charitable foundation and he has a medical question. The actor talks for a long time about the law that regulates which relatives can be admitted to intensive care. He asks to make sure “there are no surprises.”

14:23 Putin is against writing about the dangers of palm oil, but is in favor of indicating its presence in the product.

14:20 Now representatives of the dairy industry are asking not to lift the sanctions, since otherwise they will not be able to repay the loans. And they complain that it is difficult for milk to compete with palm oil, asking for information about its harm (by the way, unproven) on the packaging.

14:16 Putin realized that we were talking about Ramzan Kadyrov. He explains what he thinks about this, Ramzan is sincere, but too hot-tempered, he will still grow up.

Where did he start? He fought with us in the forest. Together with my father. Who himself came to the conclusion that Chechnya should be together with the Russian people. I know that Ramzan Kadyrov works with the same beliefs. He would not lead the republic if I was not sure that this was the right choice.

But do you understand what kind of people these are? This is the Caucasus after all, the people are hot. But the formation of these people is also not easy. I think that gradually he will come to an awareness of responsibility. This is also my omission.

14:11 They let Sergei Dorenko ask the question, Putin sighs heavily. Dorenko recalls how state media and officials hound oppositionists and asks to “set the boundaries”, using his authority.

14:06 It's like that.

14:05 He answers that United Russia is a stabilizing force and recalls how bad everything was in the 90s.

Moreover, there were recently elections in the Irkutsk region. There, the representative of United Russia lost in the first round. Not enough, more precisely. Based on your logic, there would be no problem tweaking it. But no one cheated and in the second round he lost to a representative of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation.

14:03 Putin says no one doubts the authenticity of polling stations' tallies of election results. Well, that's a dubious statement.

14:02 The question is, is it worth going to the elections if everything is counted in favor of United Russia?

14:01 Another great SMS.

13:56 Here are the first results. This is an enterprise based on the issue of delayed salaries.

13:55 Mikhalkov conveys the request of two young disabled people whom he met before entering the hall - they themselves were not allowed in. They want help doing business.

13:53 A man in the audience, representing the villagers, asks why schools and hospitals are being closed under a government program. “You can’t enter it mechanically, and even more so you can’t execute it,” Putin replies.

13:51 Question about the US elections: who is worse - Clinton or Trump? I avoided the question again.

13:44 Putin responds that, in fact, they publish the whole truth, but they cast a “shadow over the fence.”

It’s as if lawyers, and not journalists, prepared such formulations. But they don't blame anyone specifically. They cast a shadow on the fence.

He says that his friend Roldugin spent all his money on the purchase of musical instruments; one of the violins cost $12 million. The poor musician also had to stay after shopping.

13:42 Question about offshore companies: maybe you, President, should sue those who publish all this?

13:35 A question from the fishery industry on Sakhalin, where some terrible things are happening. People are taken to the island of Shikotan as slaves, kept there, and forced to work. People wrote a letter to the presidential administration, but Putin says he did not see it.

13:30 Another question is how Putin feels about porridge. I enjoy eating it every day. Pearl barley today, pay attention.

The fewer teeth you have, the more you like porridge.

13:29 Question of the day.

13:28 It’s better not to expect miracles, Angela! Putin is immediately preparing the girl for adult life.

If we wait for miracles, we may end up with nothing, as in Pushkin’s fairy tale. It’s better to roll up your sleeves and work yourself.

13:27 Questions from the “Cool Magazine” created by children. 11-year-old Angela asks what three wishes Putin would make if he met a goldfish.

13:26 Putin takes a very long time to answer the question about real estate taxes: market or cadastral. There should be no kinks!

13:23 In general, yes, the feelings are approximately the same.

13:21 By the way, have you noticed that Putin is not coughing today? Either the medications help, or...

13:18 Putin shares his memories: “You come to great great countries, and houses collapse. I was so surprised. And why? Because you can’t evict tenants.”

13:13 Putin responds that the USSR launched the sphere, instead investing money in the military sphere: “People received soap with coupons.” In general, it is difficult to understand what he answered.

13:12 Now about housing and communal services - people complain that they have to pay a lot for utilities, but in the USSR everything was fine.

13:10 They smear it thickly every time.

13:09 When we started talking about Lyudmila Putina, traffic from search engines immediately went to . And read it.

13:06 The conversation turned to meldonium: “What’s wrong with the leadership of our country: will there be any punishments, as they say, from May Hart?”

13:04 “You know, Lyudmila Alexandrovna and I don’t see each other often, but we do, we have a very good relationship, even better than before. She is happy with her life, everything is fine with her. I know she's doing well. I’m happy too, I’m doing well.”

The First Lady does not promise us. Maybe someday later.

13:02 Question about personal life! Alexandra Kirillovna from Gatchina: recently the newspapers wrote that Lyudmila Alexandrovna got married, when will the first lady be introduced to us?

13:01 Putin decided to start with the rivers - they need to be cleaned. Sorry, but this is very funny.

12:56 There was a discussion about the year of ecology, which we will have in 2017.

12:54 When Putin's answers are boring.

12:53 The Omsk officials mentioned in the first question have reported! They promise to fix 21 roads. Putin threateningly promises to talk to them on this topic.

12:51 Another question from Crimea: our electricity is often turned off, but we are not discouraged, because children began to read more and use gadgets less! When will the energy bridge be turned on?

12:49 It doesn’t say anything new: the authorities cannot guarantee that everything will be okay with our citizens.

Broadcast

From the beginning From the end

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Time to sum up the results of the “straight line”. The event lasted 3 hours 40 minutes - 16 minutes less than last year. More than 3 million questions were received, Putin answered 80 of them. And finally, several criminal cases have been initiated. On this optimistic note, our online broadcast has ended.

Journalists shout questions, interrupting each other. Representatives of foreign media shout loudest. At the end of the approach, a group of VGTRK journalists took a photo with the president. Event participants who were in the studio are not allowed to leave. Apparently, until the president leaves Gostiny Dvor.

Rustem Falyakhov/"Gazeta.Ru"

During the approach after the “direct line”, journalists asked the president whether he was sorry that Barack Obama was leaving? “We are in contact with him, he works well,” Putin was generous with his praise.

Meanwhile, journalists were led to approach Putin - it is possible that there will be some more statements.

This is the end of the “straight line”! The most interesting thing really happened not in the studio, but outside it, where at that time criminal cases were initiated and searches were carried out.

Putin: “Before I finish, I would like to refer to the screen again. I noticed a very interesting message. “Long life to you. Baba Zina." Baba Zina, I believe, wishes long life not only to those present in the studio, but to all citizens of Russia.” “When I looked at the questions yesterday, I know and see that there are a lot of not boorish, but quite angry questions,” Putin continued. — For the most part, I share the concerns of those people who formulate these questions. We see this; it’s not always possible to do as we wanted.”

The President of Russia admitted that he swears. Sometimes. To myself. He's just like everyone else, he's relieved. “In Russia there is such a sin. We’ll pray for it,” Putin said.

“Strike against the lack of roads and sloppiness,” “From the taiga to the British seas, the Red Army is the strongest,” while discussing the role of the army in Russia, Putin scattered quotes from Soviet reality.

Question from Crimea: “Can you promise the Crimeans that you will run for president in 1918?” Putin: “I think it’s too early to talk about this. I want to repeat: we now need to think not about how to justify trust today, but how to achieve the goals that we set for ourselves, the promises that we made. And depending on this, appropriate decisions will be made.”

Putin called Obama a decent person. “We managed to build this work in a fairly positive way. We are working quite intensively together to find a solution to the Syrian settlement.”

The Russian President’s facial features became stern when a first-grader from the Orenburg region said: “My dad says that only Putin can cope with this America.” The main thing is to cope with internal problems, Putin said with utmost seriousness. In addition, Putin admitted that in the future Russia could be led by a woman, and she might be able to cope even better with some internal problems.

We received questions from gunsmiths from Tula. “Our operation in Syria demonstrated the brilliant weapons we make. How can we build on this success and sign more contracts?” - Tula residents are interested. “So it will be,” the president promised and assured that there would be no reduction in defense orders. “The defense order is not being reduced. We must whet the appetites of law enforcement agencies just as we whet the appetites of civilian agencies. It is necessary to increase the efficiency of using budget resources. But this concerns current activities, and not the defense order, which must and will be fulfilled in full.”

Putin admitted that he came today without a watch. Happy hours are not observed.

Are we expecting another criminal case in the wake of the “straight line”?

Moscow, Natalya Kindyakova: “I speak on behalf of all shareholders from the Solnechnogorsk region. This is 850 families. We handed over more than 4.5 billion rubles. The owners of the company started construction and then abandoned it, stealing all our money. No criminal case was initiated for almost a year. Can we ask you to instruct the investigation to find and punish the scammers and help attract new investors to complete the construction?”

Putin: “I promise you that I will definitely ensure that law enforcement agencies pay special attention to this. They will work intensively.”

Putin was shown live “Bakhchu” and other modern military developments of the Tula arms plant. “How can we consolidate the success of our weapons after the operation in Syria?” - asked a reserved young man - an employee of the plant.

Question regarding the Timiryazev Academy. “Is it really necessary to take away the land where unique experiments are being conducted?”

Putin’s answer: “A few days ago, my assistant Fursenko (former Minister of Education) reported the situation to me. We agreed that Timiryazevka would be left alone. Although, of course, Moscow must develop, and housing construction must develop. And the academy itself must still use resources effectively, incl. land. If this land was provided at one time for research, then this activity should be carried out effectively.”

The Karabakh conflict must be approached using the medical principle of “do no harm,” Putin said. However, Russia obviously does not have more specific proposals. The president himself admitted that he uses a “common phrase”, but cannot find another: “The conflict must be resolved through political means.” At the same time, Putin emphasized that the key to resolving the bloody and protracted conflict lies with its two direct participants: Azerbaijan and Armenia.

It’s already the fourth hour of the “straight line”! In fact, every hour it became more and more interesting; good questions came from the children and Sergei Dorenko.

The question is about the liquidation of the Federal Drug Control Service and the FSM, whose functions were transferred to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Putin: “There will be no mass layoffs, not expected. A certain optimization is inevitable, mainly of service structures and headquarters.”

The decision to create the National Guard is of great interest. Dagestan, Abdurakhman Khavchaev: “I would like to ask what prompted you to issue a decree on the creation of the National Guard. Why did the internal troops (VV) cease to meet the requirements? And will there be new rights that BB did not have?” The answer was very general: “This issue has been discussed for a long time and from different sides. The first and main thing that underlies this is the need to place arms trafficking in the country under special control. This decision is due to the fact that in this structure everything related to weapons is concentrated. This includes various types of security, the licensing system, supervision of private structures, and the explosives themselves. We hope to increase the efficiency of this work and reduce the cost of maintaining services. By optimizing structures, primarily for management and staff purposes. This applies to both the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Guard itself.”

2.5 thousand calls are received on the “direct line” per minute, the Russians are setting a record.

While all the country’s attention is focused on the president’s “direct line,” there are reports of searches at the headquarters of Prokhorov’s ONEXIM and IKEA foundation. Last year, during the “direct line”, searches took place in Khodorkovsky’s organization “Open Russia”. Great tradition!

Putin criticized the Ukrainian leadership for non-compliance with the terms of the agreements in the Minsk-2 negotiation format. The President of the Russian Federation called accusations against the DPR and LPR about the continuation of firefights an “excuse.” “We have to do something ourselves,” Putin said and for some reason promised that there would be no dangerous provocations on the contact line in eastern Ukraine.

Putin, on his own initiative, raised the issue of a single currency for the EAEU countries (which the president, in the old fashioned way, calls the EurAsEC). According to him, the Eurasian Economic Union “cannot make the mistake that the European Union made.” The EU did not wait until all the economies of the member countries were at the same level of development.

A common question to Putin from business: “When will they leave us alone?” The President assures that after recent laws, the number of inspections of entrepreneurs has decreased by a third, and also recalled the recently introduced “inspection holidays.” “We will work together,” Putin convinces.

Another feedback on the “direct line”. TASS reports that a criminal case has been opened against the plant in Shikotan. Let us recall what the dialogue was like: Question from Elena: Last fall we worked on the island of Shikotan. We were not paid wages. People are taken there by deception, through recruitment agencies. Working and living conditions are terrible, people are homeless. Help me deal with this problem. Salaries are not paid for two or three months, half a year. It is impossible to get off the island, there is water all around. Putin: I don’t even have anything to say. Does this take long? Elena: Since August 9, 2015. Putin. Have you contacted the authorities? Elena: We wrote to the prosecutor's office of the Sakhalin region. However, there was no reaction. And only after a letter to the presidential administration did the reaction begin.

“Back then everyone dreamed of imports, it seemed that it would save the world,” said Irina Yarovaya. She suggested that Vladimir Putin take on retail chains to protect domestic producers and consumers. Unlike Khabensky, Yarovaya was hurried with the question. It turned out he wasn't there. There was a request to speed up the process.

Actor and head of the charitable foundation Konstantin Khabensky raised the problem of allowing relatives and friends to see people in intensive care and intensive care units. He spoke for a long time. Unlike other questioners, no one interrupted or rushed him. Apparently they respect him a lot.

Answer: “The question is related to budget financing. Where there are ventilators (artificial pulmonary ventilation) in hospitals, they work. Of course it's hard. I don’t want to say it, but I also have to say that this didn’t happen in hospitals before, and the number is increasing. Of course, the Ministry of Health will solve this problem. You say correctly, now there are at least no regulatory restrictions, this (ventilator) can be placed at home, if relatives have received appropriate training, they can use these devices. Regarding the stay of relatives in intensive care. Of course, this is a sensitive topic. The law does not prohibit relatives from being in intensive care, but the heads of medical institutions most often do not allow it. These are not private rooms. If the presence of other people somehow disturbs the peace of other patients, then the administration makes a decision on restrictions.”

Another farmer from the Voronezh region suggested writing on packages of palm oil that it kills, just like on cigarettes. Vladimir Putin doubted the effectiveness of this measure, but in the end “turned the dial” on the Eurasian Economic Union, which should resolve this issue centrally for Belarus, Kazakhstan and Armenia. “Write that palm oil kills? This is too much, not everyone thinks that it is so harmful to health. Although there is a certain deception of the consumer. If this is sold as a natural product, there is some deception of the consumer,” says the president.

A farmer from the Voronezh region is concerned about the prospect of lifting Russian trade sanctions against the EU. This, according to the farmer, will threaten the development of livestock farming.

“We need to understand this man’s past,” Vladimir Putin said about Ramzan Kadyrov, who called the opposition enemies of the people. “This man fought with us in the forest.” According to the Russian president, Ramzan and his father Akhmad Kadyrov fought with the deep conviction that Chechnya should be part of Russia. And this is the main thing you need to know about the current head of this region. “You can’t go anywhere without rules,” Putin agreed. - I know who you are talking about. I personally talked to him (Kadyrov) about this issue... I hope that both the leader of Chechnya and other leaders of the regions of the Russian Federation will realize the level and degree of their responsibility. And they will come to understand that acting or formulating their attitude towards certain opponents in extreme ways does not mean promoting stability in our country. On the contrary, it means damaging this stability. And if this awareness comes, I am sure that it will happen, then there will be no such statements. Probably, there are my omissions in this.”

Question from Sergei Dorenko (editor-in-chief of Moscow Speaks): “We have already been told that the opposition is the enemy of the people, Kasyanov was shown in the optical sight of a rifle. I think that the role of the state is to set formats, shores that should not be crossed. Could you tell your governors here now, using your gigantic authority, where you can fight without rules, and where there are rules?”

Question: Is it worth going to the elections if everything is still considered in favor of United Russia? It seems that TV viewers have begun to suspect something. Putin answers about EdRo: “The Father of Nations said that it doesn’t matter who votes how, and who thinks how (golden words - editor’s note). I hope this is not the same case. If anyone has doubts about the work of election commissions, there are ways to protect their interests. A party that has been in power for many years bears a heavy burden of responsibility for everything. People have the right to demand and expect effective work, and they are right in this. "United Russia" is a stabilizing element of our political system. You can make any decisions you want when you promised everything to everyone and no one fulfilled anything. And when you need to make responsible decisions, how to solve the issue of major repairs (by the way, they haven’t decided at all. - editor’s note), what to do with housing and communal services (only getting more expensive - editor’s note), how to provide people with medicines (constant interruptions . - editor's note), these are always compromises, and it is impossible to satisfy requests 100 percent. But this is true everywhere. Nowhere is everyone 100 percent unhappy. Is everyone there (in Europe) happy with their pensions? There are plenty of problems everywhere. We may have more of them, sharper ones. In this sense, the role of United Russia is extremely important. But this does not mean that she has preferences.”

Well, finally - at the end of the second hour there was criticism of the United States. There is still stability. And then we started to worry.

Nikita Mikhalkov told Vladimir Putin that two disabled people from Rostov-on-Don stopped him at the door before the start of the “direct line” with a request for help - they want to start doing business, but they are not succeeding. The director conveyed their request to the president.

Question from Nikita Mikhalkov! She worries that an Omsk girl will be turned into a speed bump for asking about roads. But the question is about disabled people. Putin’s answer: “In the anti-crisis plan, solid resources are allocated specifically to helping the disabled, for means of rehabilitation, transportation, and so on. But that’s a different topic.”

“Nothing can be done with such instruments except to please music lovers,” Vladimir Putin said about the latest Stradivarius instrument, this cello was purchased by his friend Sergei Roldugin, from whom Panamagate revealed $2 billion in offshore funds.

Putin was asked to sue the media that wrote about Panamanian offshore companies (remember, judging by the survey, readers are most interested in the question of offshore companies). “I thought this topic was already closed,” Putin began to answer the question... “Who is engaged in these provocations? - Putin asks a rhetorical question. — We wrote the article for the first time “Deutsche Zeitung”, part of a media holding owned by an American financial corporation. Those. The customers' ears stick out everywhere and don't even turn red. And we should not expect repentance from them. And the closer to the elections, the more such stuffing will happen. It's not about specific people, it's about a country that cannot be manipulated and dance to its own tune. If they talk to us respectfully and seek compromises, as we do, then we will always find a solution that will suit everyone. You just need to work with Russia as an equal partner.”

This GIF from the “straight line” is now especially popular on the social network Twitter. Putin reacts to the question of saving drowning Poroshenko and Erdogan.

Answering a question about what three wishes he would make if he caught a goldfish, Vladimir Putin quoted the words of what he called a “Soviet song”: “No one will help us - not God, not the tsar and not the hero.” In fact, the “Soviet song” is nothing more than the famous revolutionary song “Internationale,” which was the anthem of the RSFSR from 1918 to 1944. Currently, this is the official anthem of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation.

Not only adults, but also children ask questions, says the presenter. There is a selection of questions from Cool Magazine. “What three wishes would you make if you caught a goldfish?” Putin suggests not expecting miracles from the goldfish:-(

By the way, judging by a survey of Gazeta.Ru readers, people are most interested in the question of offshore companies.

Finally, the pressing questions began. — My wife Tatyana asked me to tell you thank you for your work. “Tell her also thanks for such an assessment.”

This year, housing and communal services prices will increase only as a result of agreement with local deputies, Putin says. The planned growth is no more than 4%. Last year, the increase in tariffs for housing and communal services exceeded 8%.

Question about housing and communal services. What about major repairs when the endless extortions end? “As for the overhaul. This is also a very important and sensitive area,” Putin correctly noted. “I know that this makes a lot of people angry.” The Constitutional Court confirmed the correctness of the government's decision. We must proceed from the real incomes of the population and the real needs of the industry. And they are very big. Everything needs renovation. The pace of repairs cannot keep up. Last year they collected 97 billion rubles, but only 25 contracts were signed. 70 billion were stuck. This means they were not ready for this. You have to do it carefully."

Still, it’s a pity that everything about my personal life ended so quickly. He only promised to satisfy our curiosity someday and said that everything was fine with him. Intrigue, however. Who is she? By the way, about the new husband of Lyudmila Putina.

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to skip questions from your personal life, says the presenter. Pensioner Alexandra Kirillovna Kozlova from Gatchina asked about her ex-wife, who recently got married. He asks when Putin himself will get married. Putin’s answer: “You know, Lyudmila Alexandrovna (Putina) and I sometimes see each other, not often. We have very good relations, maybe better than they were before. And I know that everything is fine with her, she is happy with her life. I’m happy too, everything’s fine with me too. Should these issues be brought to the fore? I don’t know how this would affect the exchange rate difference or oil prices. Seriously speaking, people elect deputies and a president to the State Duma SO THAT WE WORK. And the things you said that relate to personal life, of course, are of interest to people, I have come to terms with this a long time ago, but still they are not of paramount importance. Maybe someday I can satisfy your curiosity."

So, based on the results of the first hour of the “straight line”, we can say that for now Putin is doing without harsh anti-Western rhetoric. “We don’t find ourselves in a hostile ring.” “We have good relations with most countries in the world.” And why is he? But Erdogan has never forgiven the downed plane - there are no problems with neighbors in general, but “there are problems with some political figures whose behavior we consider inadequate and react to it accordingly.” And holidays in Turkey are dangerous - he warned.

GOOD NEWS. Omsk officials promise to repair 21 roads by the May holidays. Amazing efficiency. It would always be like this, and not just during “straight lines”. Here he is - Putin Almighty.

Putin was asked when he was going on vacation to Crimea. “I haven’t thought about it yet, but I’ll definitely come,” he promised. And what will happen to holidays in Turkey and Egypt? “As for trips to Turkey and Egypt,” Putin began. “It didn’t depend on us.” The reasons for the restrictions are different, but the result is the same. In Egypt, the current authorities are fighting radicals, but this is not always successful. We see fighting in Sinai almost every day... As for Turkey, here we see a similar picture. True, in our opinion, the current leadership of Turkey is not so much fighting radicals as collaborating with them. But the internal problems of this country make us think about security issues; there is actually a civil war going on in the south, with the use of large equipment and heavy weapons. And there are terrorist attacks in Turkey almost every week... We say that now holidays in Turkey are dangerous. Crimea, the Caucasus, many other countries in the world besides these two.”

“We consider Turkey a friendly country, and the Turkish people are friendly,” Putin said when asked about the conflict with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “We have problems with some leaders whose actions are not always adequate.”

Journalist of the Rossiya 1 TV channel Evgeny Rozhkov, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Channel One presenter Valeria Korableva (from left to right in the background) during the annual special program "Direct Line with Vladimir Putin"

Press service of the President of the Russian Federation

A question from Varya Kuznetsova, who is only 12 years old. “Last year they said they saved Obama. And if Poroshenko and Erdogan were drowning now, who would you save first?” Putin’s response: “Varya, you are putting me in a difficult position. Do not know what to say. If someone decides to drown, it is no longer possible to save him. But we, of course, are ready to extend a helping hand and a hand of friendship to any of our partners. If he wants it himself."

One of the most acute and painful problems is delayed salaries. Geography - the whole country. People demand to pay the money they earn. Question from Chelyabinsk from Dmitry Dudkin. “I work at Uralavtotrailer, we carry out government orders, defense industry, we make trailers. The problem is that the delay is very long; salaries are delayed by three months. Plus, they haven’t paid me in full yet, they give me in small pieces, and I have four children,” says the man. Answer. "Uralavtotrailsep" is an enterprise related to the automotive industry. This industry is one of the most affected by the crisis. Sales volumes have decreased. What's going on here? Oil prices fell, orders from the oil and gas sector decreased along the chain for everyone, and incomes fell in this regard. Our unemployment is at a minimum level, at a low level. I see that many businesses are trying not to fire workers. But not paying wages is also not the case. As for this enterprise, I don’t know what exactly is happening there, but I can say that the government’s anti-crisis plan for the automotive industry includes support for specific, most affected industries, with the auto industry in the first place. I’ll talk to my colleagues so that they pay attention to this enterprise and help. The problem may also be that some time ago, in order to support our manufacturers, we introduced a recycling fee, which increases the cost of the final product. But ultimately it should help in competition with foreign manufacturers.

“The situation around Aleppo is very difficult,” Putin said. According to him, both the armed Syrian opposition and the terrorist organization Jabhat al-Nusra operate in the area of ​​this city. “It is very difficult to separate them,” the Russian President added. “They behave differently.”

The question about Syria and the “ISIS hydra” - will it grow a new head, the presenter asks. “There is such a danger,” Putin admitted. - But the point is not that we left and abandoned everything. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that we withdrew a significant part of the group, but after the withdrawal of the main part we left the Syrian army in such a state that, with the support of the rest of the group, it was able to carry out serious offensive operations, and after the withdrawal of part of our troops it occupied Palmyra and a number of others strategically important settlements. The number of points joining the truce has increased. We need to agree to sit down at the negotiating table, adopt a constitution, and come to a resolution to the crisis. By the way, the topic of Syria, judging by polls, is of least interest to Russians. *IS is banned in the Russian Federation

Lyudmila Safronova from Moscow complains: last year you had to spend 5 thousand rubles to buy food for the whole week, now it’s at least 10 thousand: “The government says that inflation is 12.5% ​​per year. Who to believe? To put it bluntly, this is a philosophical question. And what does the president think about this? You have to trust both the check and the government, he says. “The government is talking about average inflation for the year. As for the contribution of various components, the increase in food prices is significant in this sense. Last year, especially at the beginning, prices increased significantly, by 14%. But in the third quarter, prices for major food groups fell. This year the growth is 2.2%. Indeed, somewhere around 12.9% is quite a lot. To a certain extent, this is also a man-made result, the rise in food prices. Because, as a response to sanctions, we deliberately introduced restrictions on the import of products from abroad. And in general, in the long term, we believe that this will have a positive effect, increase food security, and improve living conditions in rural areas. I hope that this is a temporary phenomenon and that prices will gradually decrease as the market becomes saturated with Russian food.”

Unfortunately, there are other disadvantages that are significant for our people. Namely, real incomes decreased by 4%, and real wages fell even more. Which is encouraging. Growth in agriculture was 3%, housing construction reached 85 million square meters. m, that is, a record. Our unemployment rate remains low - 5.6%. This is a very small increase. Maternity capital has been indexed, now it is 453 thousand in rubles. What is very important is that the trade balance, despite the halving of oil prices, is 146 billion rubles. We earn more than we spend. This is a good indicator. Reserve funds are preserved; Russia’s international reserves have returned to the beginning of 2014, that is, 387 billion rubles. And the deficit is at a minimum level - 2.4%.”

“Do you feel like we are left out of the global economy,” asks Oksana.

Press service of the President of the Russian Federation

Hmm, interesting - he doesn’t sit at the table, but answers the question while standing. Something new in event directing.

The first question is from Ekaterina from Omsk. He’s talking about roads—or rather, about their absence: “Look at the condition they’re in. Pit after pit, cars break down. The authorities do not respond to our problems and requests. We organize protests, the authorities pass by. There are no roads, bike paths, trees are being cut down. The metro is not being built. Omsk will soon be 300 years old. Citizens hope that the city will be better for the holiday.” “The problem has really worsened,” agrees Putin. — Some time ago we created regional road funds and are directing a lot of resources there. But this year there are many questions about the condition of the roads. When I saw the structure of the questions - the road topic occupies a significant place, I looked at how these road funds are spent... It turned out that there is a lot of money there, but a lot of money is spent inappropriately on other tasks. In this regard, I believe that it is necessary to clarify expenses from the road fund, which the regions previously objected to. It is necessary to ensure that the funds go towards road construction or major repairs. The second thing that can be done is that this year it was decided to increase excise taxes on motor fuel by 2 rubles. Initially, they planned to direct all this money to regional road funds. But the Ministry of Finance, due to well-known difficulties with the budget, plans to take these 2 rubles into the federal budget. We will look for a compromise. This is approximately 40 billion rubles.” As for Omsk itself, Putin said, “both the city and the road network need to be put in order by the 300th anniversary.”