Report by Andrey Kolesnikov about Vladimir Putin’s meeting with pilots in the Tver region

Late in the evening of March 27, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in the Tver region at the 344th State Center for Combat Use and Retraining of Aircrew. It turned out, says Kommersant’s special correspondent Andrey Kolesnikov, some details that have not yet been clarified: for example, about Vladimir Putin’s attitude towards jingoistic patriots, as he himself, it turns out, calls them.

Having stopped at the center after a thoughtful meeting with cultural figures of the Tver region, Vladimir Putin did not deny himself the pleasure of climbing behind the wheel of a helicopter on a simulator, not for the first time in his life. The accompanying person admitted that one understanding person once told him: the most difficult of all equipment, including aviation, is to control a helicopter. Vladimir Putin agreed with him – as a man who has flown a variety of aviation equipment.

The Supreme Commander then spoke with the military pilots. He was asked how he assessed the actions of combat aviation during the Northern Military District.

– Great! – exclaimed the Supreme Commander. – Everyone is doing an excellent job, making a huge contribution to achieving overall success. Huge! Attack aircraft pilots – I think they have a very hard job, I spoke publicly, I flew a couple of times – it’s a very hard job, the overload is very high…

It was clear that it was really great. When he talks about the government’s work, “satisfactory,” that’s exactly what he wants to say. That is, no more. Moreover, this becomes clear only when he says “excellent” to these pilots with such an expression.

He then answered the question of who spends how much on defense and offense and what that means. And the answer was detailed.

— If you look at military spending. Let’s take 2022, military spending, because the results for 2023 are being summed up and calculated… 2024 is too early to say. According to our data, we spent 3.5% of the country’s GDP on defense spending. Let’s take data that is not ours (which we ourselves apparently don’t trust.— A.K.), take data from the Stockholm Peace Institute, international data! — the president suggested. “They have the following calculation: the United States spent 3.5% of GDP on defense, Russia — 4%. Let’s say Israel – 4.5%. Ukraine spent 33.5% in 2022.

– A noticeable difference! – Some of the military figures made a strong impression.

“Of course,” agreed the Supreme Commander. “But in absolute terms, what’s the difference?” In 2022, the United States spent, God willing, $811 billion (no, this is not forgotten.— A.K.), and the Russian Federation – $72 billion… 72 and 811 – the difference is noticeable, more than ten times! The United States spends, its defense spending is approximately 40% of global defense spending. 39% of global spending is in the US. And Russia – 3.5%. And, keeping this ratio in mind, are we going to fight with NATO, or what? This is just nonsense!

This was a serious confession. Vladimir Putin made it clear, but what’s there – he stated in plain text that Russia has no chance in such a confrontation if the United States enters the war. There is no other way to interpret this.

Although they will say, of course, that he was cunning, luring… He let down his guard… And so it will turn out…

Vladimir Putin suddenly turned to the topic that worries him most since the beginning of the war. He still wants to be truly understood. Because, apparently, he thinks, he still hasn’t fully explained himself. This is true.

“Besides,” he said, “what are we doing now during a special military operation?” We protect our people living in our historical territories! If, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, as Russia proposed, they had built completely new security relations in Europe, nothing like today would have happened! We would simply take into account our interests in the field of security, which we talked about year after year, in fact, from decade to decade! Just complete ignorance! We’ve come right to our borders!

Especially with the help, as you know, of Finland.

— Were we moving towards the borders of those countries that were part of the NATO bloc? – continued the Supreme. – We didn’t touch anyone! They were moving towards us! Have we crossed the ocean to the borders of the United States? No, they are approaching us and have come close. What are we doing? We only protect our people in our historical territories. Therefore, what they say about the fact that we are going to attack Europe after Ukraine is complete nonsense!

– Intimidation! — it seems out of place, but one of the pilots commented from the heart.

“Intimidating your own population,” corrected the pilot, Vladimir Putin helped him, “exclusively in order to extort money from them, from his people!” Moreover, given the fact that the economy is shrinking and the standard of living is falling. It’s obviously simple! Everyone recognizes this, this is not some kind of propaganda, this is what is happening in reality. They need to justify themselves, so they frighten their population with a possible Russian threat, while they themselves spread their dictatorship to the whole world. NATO is an organization of the North Atlantic bloc. North Atlantic! — he reminded its members. “Where is he going now?” They are getting into the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, other regions of the world, they are already getting into Latin America! And all under different pretexts, under different sauces… It’s still the same thing: they are promoting NATO there and dragging their European satellites along with them! They, apparently, believe that this also all corresponds in some way to their national interests, they are afraid of a big, strong Russia… Although they are doing it in vain…

This is not the first time he has reassured his European colleagues. (Although, of course, the more he talks about it, the more they worry about it. And when he climbs into a strategic missile carrier or at least into a helicopter… No, not that…):

– We have no aggressive intentions towards these states! We would never have done anything in Ukraine if there had not been a coup there and then military operations in Donbass. They started the war in 2014. They just used aviation – everyone saw these shots when planes hit Donetsk. They are bombarding a peaceful city with missiles from the air! Are you completely crazy?! Nevertheless, we still agreed to these Minsk agreements. No, it turns out they deceived us, delayed us for eight years, and in the end they simply forced us to move on to another form of protecting our interests and our people. That’s all!

Vladimir Putin spoke out again.

“Therefore, this is complete nonsense…” he concluded once again. “The possibility of an attack on some other countries, on Poland, the Baltic states (and yet someone has now breathed a sigh of relief.” A.K.)… They also scare the Czechs there… Just nonsense, another way to deceive their population and extract additional expenses from people, force them to bear this burden on their shoulders. That’s all!

– Comrade Supreme Commander! — then they asked him with passion. “NATO countries are planning to supply their fighters to Ukraine.” It is being discussed in the media that F-16 aircraft will be used in the zone of a special military operation against Russian troops and facilities, including from the territory of NATO countries. Will we be allowed to hit these targets at NATO airfields?

The question sounded simple, it seemed to me, just a plea for permission.

“Firstly, if they deliver the F-16… They are talking about this, like they are training pilots… I think you understand this better than anyone else, better than others, this will not change the situation on the battlefield,” he supported the pilots Supreme.—And we will destroy their planes just as we destroy their tanks, armored vehicles and other equipment today, including multiple launch rocket systems.

And once again he supported:

– Of course, if they are used from airfields of third countries, they become a legitimate target for us, no matter where they are. And the F-16s are also carriers of nuclear weapons, and we will also have to take this into account when organizing combat work.

He was reminded that on February 21 he handed over to the “high command of the aerospace forces a copy of the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands.”

— Today this shrine is moving between parts of the Russian Aerospace Forces; currently this shrine is located on the territory of our center. “We all sincerely want to thank you for the opportunity to touch the miraculous shrine, which is so closely connected with the formation of the Russian army and navy,” said one of the pilots.

– Look, this is really a shrine and it is a shrine for the country, for the Armed Forces – Vladimir Putin was ready to speak on this topic, it seems, with even greater passion. – It has always, since ancient times, been on our battle banners, on our fortresses , literally fortresses! They protected our people with their walls! In general, according to legend, this is the first icon in the Christian world that was created by God himself.

However, this fact is difficult to verify. This is the case when you believe the word or not. Yes, it’s a matter of faith.

— Yesterday we were with the Minister (of Defense Sergei Shoigu.— A.K.) We talked in the evening, we will make several more copies of the icon,” added the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, “also the Savior Not Made by Hands, which is located in the main temple of the Armed Forces, and we will also continue this good tradition of transferring these copies to the military units that have proven themselves in the best possible way.

The idea must have come to one of them.

“In front of this icon,” explained the Supreme Commander, “Dmitry Donskoy knelt before the Battle of Kulikovo on the Kulikovo Field.” It has special significance for the Motherland, for the country, for Russia and for our Armed Forces.

And then it turned out that Vladimir Putin wanted to say not only about this. And the remark turned out to be the most significant at this meeting.

“But we must never forget that we are a multinational, multi-religious country, we must always treat with respect, and we do so, our brothers – representatives of other faiths: both Muslims and Jews,” said Vladimir Putin. to everyone… We treat everyone with respect and provide and will continue to provide everyone with the opportunity to feel that they are defending their own Homeland, and no one has another Homeland. And for us, thank God, that’s how it works.

And he moved on to something that he had not yet spoken about:

– You know, when I listen to our… There are such people everywhere, in any society… Jingoist patriots, including those who say that Russia is only for Russians, then, you know, I get a feeling of anxiety. Why? Because if we keep in mind that we have 190 ethnic groups living on the territory of the country and some nationalities are represented by millions of peoples, then as soon as we begin to realize these destructive thoughts about the fact that everyone else is strangers here, we will ruin the country! And the main victims will be the Russian people. Therefore, you need to treat this component very adultly, seriously, not wave your arms and wag your tongue, but think when you pronounce every word, every phrase. To think that we have one big united Motherland!

Hooray-patriots, get ready.