“It was they who unleashed the war” – Picture of the Day – Kommersant

President Vladimir Putin delivered a traditional address to the Federal Assembly. This time the event was held in Gostiny Dvor. The President paid special attention to the special operation in Ukraine, assessed the geopolitical situation, instructed to modernize the armed forces and announced new measures of social support. And in the end, he announced that Russia was suspending participation in the Strategic Offensive Arms Treaty. The main thing from his speech is in the Kommersant selection.

special operation

• Since 2014, the West has been deceiving Russia, passing off the Minsk agreements and the Normandy format as an attempt to resolve the conflict in Donbass diplomatically, while preparing Ukraine for war. NATO did not refuse to expand to the east. Ukraine was turned into “anti-Russia” to be used as a battering ram. Russia refused to give security guarantees. Thus, “it was they who unleashed the war” that Russia is trying to stop. The more long-range systems are delivered to Ukraine, the further Russia will have to push the threat away from its borders.

Support for CBO members

• Vladimir Putin instructed the creation of a special state fund that will provide assistance to the families of the dead and wounded members of the SVO. Work in it should be carried out “without treasury and bureaucracy.” Each family of a deceased or injured SVO participant must be assigned their own personal social worker.
• For all participants in the SVO, regular leave of at least 14 days, excluding travel time, must be provided at least once every six months.
• Distinguished during the SVO should be in demand in government at all levels.

Economy

• The West failed to beat Russia economically. GDP last year, contrary to dire forecasts, fell by 2.1%. The unemployment rate fell to a historically low 3.7%.
• Some economic articles of the Criminal Code may be relaxed. “There’s no point in going overboard.”
• Within 10 years, it is planned to invest at least 4.5 trillion rubles in the housing and communal services sector.
• Insurance for voluntary pension savings should increase to 2.8 million rubles.
• The program of social gasification will be continued.
• By the end of the agricultural year, Russia can bring grain exports to 55-60 million tons.
• The minimum wage must be increased by 10% from January 1 of the next year.

Development of the armed forces

• All components of the armed forces must become as modern as the nuclear forces of the Russian Federation. Vladimir Putin estimated the level of equipping the nuclear forces with modern components at 91%. To do this, mass production of modern weapons should be launched.
• For military-industrial complex workers, it was instructed to launch a program of preferential rental housing. First of all, it will affect cities, industrial and research centers that are significant from the point of view of the military-industrial complex.

Social sphere and education

• The President suggested returning to the traditional model of training specialists for a period of five to six years.
• The tax deduction for spending on the education of children should be increased from 50 to 110 thousand rubles, and for the costs of their own education, as well as for treatment and the purchase of medicines – from 120 thousand to 150 thousand rubles.
• Distribute maternity capital to new territories. Mothers of children born since 2007 will be able to count on support.

Nuclear weapon

• Russia suspends participation in START.
• The new agreements on nuclear deterrence must also take into account the arsenal of France and Great Britain.
• If the US tests new types of nuclear weapons, so will Russia.