Komsomolskaya Pravda: "Putin: 'Army needs advanced technology and conventional arms’"
Putin visits enterprise producing missile components.
During his visit to Penza, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met representatives of the Physical Dimensions Research Institute's (NIIFI) trade union. The enterprise develops and produces high accuracy instruments and components for missile space technology.
Chairman of the Independent Trade Unions Federation Mikhail Shmakov enthusiastically thanked Putin once again for not supporting a longer working day.
He then gave the floor to Chairman of the NIIFI Trade Union Committee Alexander Gerasin who began speaking about the role of the trade union at the enterprise and its canteen, "where prices are reasonable and a lunch has first and second courses."
"And what about compot?" Putin queried seriously.
"Well, it's also part of the deal," Gerasin muttered.
"But you mentioned only two courses – first and second," Putin insisted.
"I'm sorry, the lunch is all inclusive," Gerasin said and made a request. He suggested that the unspent sums from the Social Insurance Fund should be used to treat workers and their families at health resorts. Gerasin even filed a written appeal on this score in line with trade union rules.
"What a bureaucrat you are!" Putin joked and explained that the fund was run with a deficit and there are absolutely no unspent funds. He added that this is a good proposal, but it is best to reach the same goal by increasing salaries.
Putin was asked to say how the government supports innovation companies and he listed all measures – from loans to tax benefits.
"It goes without saying that if we don't do this, we won't just fall off the perch tomorrow, but rather we'll be doomed to a miserable existence," Putin explained. "The revenues from the raw materials economy are continuously diminishing in terms of their overall volume, while the incomes from the sectors unrelated to mineral resources are constantly growing. Our technical engineering did better last year than the oil and gas industry."
Putin was asked what hardware will be given a priority in reequipping the army.
"The armed forces need technology that would conform to current requirements and allow us to feel confident in case of an armed conflict – either local or global," Putin said.
He added that Russia enjoys absolute competitive advantages in missile technology.
"The armed forces must be proactive," Putin said. "They must demand technology for which a potential enemy doesn't even exist! But we should not forget about conventional arms – aviation, ships, armor and artillery. Everything is important, but it is up to experts to make such requirement, first and foremost, the General Headquarters. We will be guided by their opinion."
Nigina Beroyeva
