“The abnormally hot summer hit rural regions very hard. First there was an extremely cold and almost snowless winter, and now the drought. Of course, we will not leave agricultural producers to deal with this massive problem on their own. The situation is very serious. <…> We do have a safety net. The reserves we have accumulated over the years allow us to maintain a stable agricultural sector and to fully meet the domestic demand for grain.”
Vladimir Putin At a meeting of the Government Presidium