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Хэрэв та ерөнхийлөгч биш байсан бол өөрийн амьдралыг төсөөлж байна уу?
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Дашрамд хэлэхэд энэ нь нэлээд давтагддаг асуулт юм
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Үнэндээ энэ нь нүүрсний уурхай дахь канар шувуу шиг гэж хэлж болно
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Гэж би бодож байна.
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Тухайн хүн буцаах боломжтой байсан бол ердийн орон сууцанд амьдрана
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ордны дотоод дизайнаас ташаал авахын оронд.
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Энэ тохиолдолд тэр "Гадаад ертөнц"-тэй холболтоо алдахгүй байсан гэж бодож байна.
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Би энэ өндөр албан тушаалд байгаа ч амьдралаа хялбараар төсөөлж чадахгүй.
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1999 оны 8-р сарын 7-нд юу болсон юм бол....
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"Үйл явдалууд зүрх сэтгэлд"
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Кавказын мэдээ.
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Шамиль Басаев Дагестаны тэмцэгчдийг удирдаж байна
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for keeping it short
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I am not going to sit down
for keeping it short.
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Situation is very serious now
in Dagestan and in Caucasus.
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I just came back from there.
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It's really difficult situation.
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Real serious.
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Probably, we can really lose Dagestan...
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Coordination is very bad, so far.
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And for some reason everyone
is asking for political..
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I was forced to go there yesterday and
tell that I am taking full responsibility.
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And now about the current events.
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I have met with the President this morning.
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He signed my resignation
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Thanked me for good work
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And dismissed me
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Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin
is appointed as interim
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He is the Secretary of
Security Council and head of FSB.
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Descent and honourable person I think.
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I would like to wish him luck.
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Luck only,
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cause all the rest he already has.
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August 9th, 1999
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The man, whom Boris Yeltsin has chosen
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to be the head of his obsolete government
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was practically unknown former spy
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and head of Security Council: Vladimir Putin
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Even more remarkable was Yeltsin's statement
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that it was Putin who ought
to become a president of Russia
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after Yeltsin's retirement next year.
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People had absolutely no trust
to the government.
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Caucasus war was going on.
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The war was not only in Caucasus
but everywhere in the country.
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You might remember those
terrorist attacks etc.
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It was not so long ago
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just 14-15 years ago.
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Caucasus war came to Moscow"
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Chechen trace?"
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August 14th, 1999
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This conflict became the first serious test
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for acting Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
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Putin stated that Russia will be able
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to take situation in Dagestan
under control in less than 2 weeks.
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I wasn't really able to make
decisions at that moment.
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I was forced to deal with it,
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though I didn't have full powers.
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It was clearly a huge responsibility.
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It was a matter of course
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and I have had onl one question,
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I am not even going to talk
about it on camera now.
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In case if I won't manage to finish this task,
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then what should I do
and how should I live further?
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I have decided for myself
that it's the only option.
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I should go till the end.
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I never heard of name Putin back then.
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It was in August-September of 1999.
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Experience of the previous 1$t
Chechen campaign was pretty hard.
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There was a long line of misfortunes
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and often even betrayals.
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And in 1999 when Chaban Makhikov...
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during that Khattab's assault on Dagestan,
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that’s when I first heard
the name of our president.
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Vladimir Ivanov, our
platoon commander, said.
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We got a new one."
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He came into some general's tent
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and they raised a toast to future victory.
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I would really like, in
accordance with Russian tradition
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and tradition of holy Dagestan land
where we are today,
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to raise this glass
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and drink to the memory of those who died.
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A second, just a second
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I would like to raise a glass
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to the health of ones who are wounded
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and to wish happiness
to everyone present here.
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But we have a lot of problems ahead of us
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and important tasks
you know that very well.
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You do know what enemy
is planning to do.
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All of us know that
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What provocations are to be
expected in the nearest future,
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in what regions etc.
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We don't have a right
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to allow ourselves
a single moment of weakness.
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Not a single moment.
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Because if we will,
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then those who died, did it for nothing.
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That's why I’d like to propose the following.
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we will absolutely raise our glasses to them,
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absolutely.
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But we will do it later.
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Later.
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When this task, the crucial task
you all know about, will be completed.
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That's why I propose
to grab a bite of food now
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and go back to work.
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He put glass on the table and I remember
surprise of our platoon commander
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and his respect.
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He said that probably it will work differently
than during the previous campaign
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cause this glass he put
back on the table,
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in his man's view, it had
some good special meaning.
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And after that couple of days later,
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when military jets flew to Khattab’s units and
started shelling them on territory of Chechnya,
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it became clear then that
this glass returned on the table
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had very obvious meaning
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It meant that everything
will be the right way.
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We will be chasing terrorists everywhere.
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and if we find them
in the toilet, pardon me,
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We will rub them out in the outhouse!
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The end, issue closed!
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What's going on in Chechnya,
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is caused by the fact that Russia is not willing
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to solve these issues in political way,
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by talking to the Chechen leaders.
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There are two categories of Russian soldiers
on the territory of Chechnya.
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those who lie in coffins and
those who WILL lie in coffins.
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There was no other solution
than suppressing this terrorism.
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It was impossible
to come to an agreement
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I remember very clearly and
I told about that before, I think,
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that while I was head of FSB I was reading
different investigative documents
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including ones of international terrorists,
what they were writing to each other.
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It's a unique historic occasion today.
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We have a chance to tear
Caucasus away from Russia.
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Today or never."
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But it was clear for us as well.
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either we'll hold it today
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or we'll never have another
chance to save the country.
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Well, at that moment practically
everyone, except only us maybe,
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cause an average citizen didn't go into details,
and wasn't much aware of what was happening,
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but for anyone in the world,
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as many of my colleagues, presidents
and prime ministers, were telling me later,
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it was a sure thing that Russia will
seize to exist in its current borders.
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The only question was when it will happen
and what will be the consequences,
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considering that it was a large nuclear power.
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On December 31st, 1999, at 10 am
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I got a phone call from Boris Yeltsin office.
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And I was told that I have to be
in his office in half an hour.
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I was invited into his office.
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We were standing there,
witnessing the power transfer,
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including the transfer of
nuclear suitcase too, by the way.
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I remember this day very well.
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On December 31st we were invited
for breakfast with the President.
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We were about 8 people.
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I saw that someone was carrying a TV.
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If you remember, TVs used to be
thick, chubby ones back then.
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They placed the TV there.
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Boris Nikolaevich and Vladimir
Vladimirovich came over.
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They sat down and turned on TV.
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I am... leaving
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Leaving before... the end of the term.
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I realized that it's what I have to do.
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Russia has to start a new Millennium
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with new politicians, new faces.
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With new clever, strong, energetic people.
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That's where we heard that
Boris Nikolayevich has left
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and has passed his president duties
to Vladimir Vladimirovich.
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After that Vladimir Vladimirovich
invited me to his office in Kremlin
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and told me that it would be a good idea
to congratulate our Army Forces.
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Spiritual welfare of the Army
Forces was quite bad.
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It was necessary to bolster
morale of the servicemen,
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make them believe in themselves.
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At the same time, we had to
ensure security of this event,
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cause we were flying in the combat zone.
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It was worrisome of course, the president
is flying, weather is terrible,
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by the helicopters.
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Our helicopter was shelled
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and we were forced
to go back to Makhachkala.
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By this time we prepared the cars
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which we used to get to Gudermes.
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I was in Gudermes.
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My father knew that he is coming over
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don’t know where he knew this from.
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It was a secret.
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Nobody believed it even myself.
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Fighting is going on everywhere
but Putin will come,
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in a civil car to Dagestan...
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We arrived to Gudermes
somewhat around 4:30 pm
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and we met New Year's Eve
already with the servicemen.
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Guys, our congratulations
on the New Year.
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We wish you happiness and
all the best for the new year!
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Good health to everyone
and happy family life!
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I would like you to know
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that Russia highly
appreciates what you do.
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And country really needs what you do.
Really needs it.
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I am not only talking about restoring
of country's Honour and Dignity.
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No I mean much more
serious things by that.
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I am talking about putting an end
to the demise of Russia.
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This is your main goal.
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Setting up a goal always meant for Putin
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having a concrete result
after a specified time.
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And when Putin said that problem
has to be resolved in 2 weeks,
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in 2 weeks it was resolved.
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A lot of hard work
was done with the locals.
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As the result of it, enormous number
of local Dagestan residents
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with weapon in their hands
took side of Federal Forces,
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fought with the terrorists
and won over them eventually.
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The same story was in Chechnya.
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We have to act very carefully,
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in a way that we wouldn't cause
damage to the civilians.
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Because there are... there are...
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besides the armed militants and bandits
there are also women, children
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elderly people are there too.
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There are veterans of the Great
Patriotic War there too by the way!
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Whom all of us own
the victory over fascism,
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they were taking part in it.
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And we treat them as family
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Sorry. I can't walk all the way through...
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The very same Akhmad Hadzhi Kadyrov,
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he actually believed Putin,
believed this work.
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He followed Putin
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and hundreds and thousands of
other Chechens did too after him.
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This was a surprise
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a feeling that a strange,
new person has appeared.
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I met both his mother and father.
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The war for Vladimir Vladimirovich,
is the same as for me, probably.
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It's not only the heroism of people,
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but also a personal tragedy
which will never die.
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On Piskarevskoe cemetery,
in one of the mass graves,
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his older brother is buried.
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He was practically a child
when he has died.
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His father was heavily wounded in Nevsky
Pyatachok, it was a miracle he survived.
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He came back home from the hospital
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right at the moment when our future President
mother was carried out of the apartment.
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Medics were loading her
in a truck as a dead body.
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He chased them away, using his crutches.
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She was washed out but
he nursed her back to life.
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When he came to Moscow for work,
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his parents were already pretty old,
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they had to be looked after.
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And using every chance, Putin was
travelling there in order to see them,
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to talk to them and to provide
with any help they needed.
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We used to talk about different topics.
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When we were talking in a close circle,
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we were remembering
our mothers, childhood.
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I was saying that it's really strange
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that we don't appreciate
our moms while they are still alive,
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can't find time to come over
spend time with her,
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listen to her give her a hug.
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And then he was also taking
a walk down memory lane.
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I could feel that he was moved deeply.
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March 25th, 2000.
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Cold St Petersburg was founded
by the great Russian Tzar Peter I,
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who built city on the sea
and made it the capital.
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From these times it was representing
the best of the country,
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but sometimes the worst of it too.
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But along with its glamour
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we also met the hard realities
of Russia today.
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Maria Semyonova,
who is 80 years old,
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is forced to live in a communal apartment
together with 30 other people.
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The fair people should be In power
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so that we could see at least
a bit of fair and honest life.
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Putin is better, he is better!
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By what?
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By everything!
Everything!
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He'll do everything in a fair way,
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unless they'll wipe him out.
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Maria was planning to give
her vote to the communists,
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but like many others she trusts Putin.
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I couldn’t imagine in my worst nightmare
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that I'll be ever running for president
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Cause I think it's absolutely dishonest thing.
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Don’t faugh, It's all about making promises,
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better than the ones of your competitors.
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The way election campaign was run,
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the way I managed to structure it.
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relieved me from this necessity
to mislead large amounts of people.
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And I am glad about it.
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That's why tomorrow
a normal working
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We'll have a meeting tomorrow, at 10 am...
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He called me and asked to come to work.
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I was telling him honestly that
I won't manage, I am afraid...
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Are you afraid so much that your will
is paralysed and you can't do anything?
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I am afraid too!'' - he said.
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It's a huge responsibility,
I am afraid that I won't manage,
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but someone has to take care of this
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We were given this opportunity,
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let's try to give a boost to this country"
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I think that the most important question
we started to ask ourselves
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was "what are we going to do next?"
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This was a serious question with no answer.
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Nobody was fully understanding what to do.
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Very often
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from the most ordinary people
on the streets of our cities
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I heard very simple words but
ones very important for me.
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They were telling me.
We believe you,
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we are counting on you.
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Just please don't betray us."
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I can assure you,
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that I will act solely
in country's best interests.
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Probably I won't avoid mistakes
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but what I can really promise,
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that I'll be working openly and honestly!
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[President of Russian Federation
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin]
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We made the first attempt
to analyse the situation
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in economy, finance, social services,
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judicial and legal system.
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I remember how we were gathering
sometimes in the evenings
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and... and somebody said
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It seems that we have
Chechnya everywhere".
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Chechnya wasn’t a geographical thing,
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in reality Chechnya was practically
in every field of work.
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Weakness of the state and authorities in 90s
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was causing a fear that the new
authorities won't manage either
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and will be easily manipulated,
by the oligarchs in particular.
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When you became a president,
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Russia was ruled by
the powerful oligarchic clan.
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They were looking at you
and thinking: "We'll eat him up".
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Yes.
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We'll make a deal".
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And among all these wolves
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who used to define the authorities
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and everything happening
in the country in 90s,
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they not only needed to be taken down
a notch but to be torn apart
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all opportunities being
taken away from them.
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Well some of them when I was
the Chairman of the Government,
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and after Yeltsin declared
that I'll be running for president
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couple of them came to my office
in the White House.
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they sat down opposite of me and said.
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You should understand that
you'll NEVER be a president here".
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I answered them: "Well, we'll see".
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That's the kind of scenes I was having
In this very White House.
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And how did you manage
to take them down a notch?
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In different ways,
using different means.
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I remember very vividly
that summer meeting in 2000.
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This was actually a first meeting
of president Putin
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with business representatives
a large scale meeting.
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It was very important for us to hear
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what kind of a country Putin is building.
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And for Putin is was crucial to explain
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what kind of behavior he was
expecting from us as businessmen.
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He told us right away: "No guys,
it won't be possible to deny the heritage".
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I just wanted to draw
your attention to the point
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that it was you who
have been creating this state.
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Mainly though political and para-political
structures under your control.
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That’s why you should have
a better look in a mirror.
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Putin didn't have any aggression
he was very calm.
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But the system will be built
in a different way now.
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And everyone has to
contribute to this system.
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What kind of contribution?
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Your business has to be transparent,
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you have to pay taxes
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you shouldn't sweat your workers
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but you should pay them
reasonable salaries instead.
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In different words,
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right to existence and right to respect
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you will have to earn
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considering the mess you created by now.
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The biggest part of economy at that time
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was not even in grey, but in black zone.
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Salary in the envelopes
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not paying taxes.
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criminal outrage.
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Average pension in 2000
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(many people forgot about it already)
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was bit more than 800 rubles.
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And people weren't paid even this
kind of pension for half a year.
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They weren’t paid salaries for half a year.
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Lots of people, even
the majority of the country,
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was busy just trying to survive
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By the beginning of the 2000s
many strategic enterprises
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were taken from the state control.
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Unemployment was high,
there was large shady employment.
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This was happening around year 2000.
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Country he took into his hands,
-
it was in a state of melting ice
not even a ship
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which was slowly falling into oblivion.
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Kursk" is in trouble.
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We are talking about lives
of 116 crew members...
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It seems that 7th compartment is drowned.
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It makes evacuation more difficult.
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We were sitting in a hall
and waiting for Putin.
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I was sitting in the 2nd row,
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together with mariner's wives.
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Frankly speaking, I thought
they will simply tear him to pieces.
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I was wondering how
did he dare to come here?
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Didn't he realize
what they will do to him?
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They were expecting that "Kursk"
submarine will be recovered, saved.
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And at the same time they were realizing
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that it was probably hopeless.
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There was such energy there...
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a bundle of hate...
and despair... and pain...
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Never in my whole life
I felt anything like this.
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Every question was
directed to this single man.
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Let her speak don't stop her.
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The question is.
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that it was hard to imagine,
for me as well, I am frank with you,
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we didn't know that our country is
in such a tough situation,
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that our Army Forces
are in tough situation,
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that our fleet is ...
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is in breakdown state or
in tough situation at least.
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So, everything is in such a state,
that I could never imagine.
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Everything is ruined!
Not a damn thing left!
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A woman next to me fainted
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few minutes after this conversation started.
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She was yelling something,
-
they were interrupting him
in the beginning.
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Clearly they were more eager
to speak up than to listen to him.
-
And... at some point he even fell silent
-
and was only listening to them talk.
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But then he started to respond after all.
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If I only could, you know,
I would get in there myself!
-
I was getting in there before.
as you already know.
-
None of our or foreign specialists
can reach 8th compartment.
-
In order to... for lifting it up...
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I am taking responsibility for my words,
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I could tell you lots of things and run away.
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I am telling you how things really are.
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This is the bitter truth but it's TRUTH.
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The way it really is.
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At some point I realized
-
that together with him
all of them crossed the line
-
which was separating
their husbands lives from death.
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Together with him they crossed it over
and moved on.
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We mapped out plans then,
-
which were aimed at...
I'd describe it with one word.
-
glueing the country.
-
Because at that moment,
excuse my French,
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country was scattering like porridge.
-
It was in fashion then to disparage
Federal centre and central authorities.
-
Back then any governor
could take the liberty
-
to ignore president's invitation.
-
Head of Sakha Republic announced
-
that we should lease out
all our treasures to Japan,
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just let them pay to every Yakut
some amount of dollars
-
and everything
is going to be all right.
-
At the time when every region
was governing itself
-
making its own laws and
controlling execution of its own laws,
-
these were the signs of losing the country,
-
as a sovereign state.
-
At that moment our Republic
-
wasn't fully in legal framework
of the Russian Federation.
-
And Vladimir Vladimirovich said very calmly.
-
Tatarstan has to be fully incorporated in
legal framework of Russian Federation".
-
Wash out Putin in Hague Tribunal!"
No Tatatarstan’s bread for empire's suckers!"
-
It would be fair to adopt a special program on
social and economic development of Tatarstan
-
under conditions of full incorporation into
legal framework of Russian Federation.
-
And he said: "This is correct
presentation of the problem".
-
I must say that it was done
in couple of months.
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First winter, the first president's winter,
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in the Russian Far East.
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There were left without heating
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250 thousand, then 300, 400 thousand people,
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entire cities and villages.
-
Hospitals weren't functioning because of cold,
-
no heating at all.
-
Complete chaos...
-
vertical power structure,
putting it mildly,
-
is probably not restored yet
-
the way Putin needed.
-
Everything is working dreadfully.
-
Mine workers are on the street.
-
There is no work mines are closed.
-
At the same time in Central Siberia
-
large piles of coal are lying at the harbors.
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Coal which is already sold
and awaiting the shipment
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to the buyers outside of Russia.
-
And then president made the decision
-
that it should be stopped immediately,
-
coal should be sent to the boiler stations
on the territory of Russia.
-
Putin could solve this problem
by manual control only.
-
Radiators, iron radiators,
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were transported by airplanes
-
This was absurd, indeed
in regard of effectivity and costs.
-
However, it was absolutely justified
-
in regard of preventing people from freezing.
-
Heads of 24 cities and regions were fired.
-
By president's order they were
rousted from warm beds at night
-
and forced to write resignation
letters right at the doorstep.
-
Criminal charges were brought.
-
One way or another,
they started to wake up somehow,
-
those who retained their job positions.
-
This was an important and serious example
-
and both authorities and the president showed
that there is power in the country,
-
strong power.
-
January 20, 2001
-
When George Bush became President
-
he started making some strong statements
on human rights issues
-
favourite passages about democracy,
Chechnya, freedom of the media
-
a standard set of criticisms.
-
And for a half year or so, there was
a sort of ping-pong of harsh statements.
-
Washington raised the temperature.
-
Moscow raised the temperature too.
-
For a long time Washington made it clear
-
it was not prepared
to talk to Moscow face to face.
-
But now the situation has changed.
-
Today George Bush and Vladimir Putin
shook hands for the first time
-
in the Brdo Castle
40 km from Slovenia's capital - Ljubljana.
-
The President listens carefully
to our arguments and hears them.
-
Can you trust Russia?
I'm not going to answer this question.
-
I'll ask you the same question.
-
I'll answer this question.
I looked the man in the eye.
-
I found him to be very straightforward
and trustworthy.
-
-
I was able to get a sense of his soul
-
a man deeply committed to his country
and the best interests of his country.
-
We can guess that this phrase
was not prepared in advance
-
but was his spontaneous
improvised reaction
-
to his first impression of talking
to the Russian President,
-
which is confirmed by the fact
that within 7 years they met 18 times!
-
In terms of personal relations,
Bush and Putin got on really well.
-
They joked and laughed a lot
-
But by that time
the USA were already convinced
-
that Russia had entered a mode
of some colonial democracy,
-
that we were firmly on the IMF hook,
-
that we should continue to get instructions
from foreign experts
-
on how to develop our economy
on where to pump our oil to...
-
But from the outside,
everything looked very correct
-
pats on the back words of encouragement
guys, you're on the right track, and so on.
-
At that time, we all had illusions.
-
It seemed to us
that after the Soviet Union had collapsed
-
and after Russia had voluntarily agreed
I'd like to stress it
-
voluntarily and consciously agreed
to absolute historic limitations
-
the renunciation of its own territories,
production assets
-
and so on and so forth...
-
It seemed to us that after the disappearance
of the ideological component
-
that used to separate the former USSR
from the rest of the civilized world,
-
The prison walls would crash... Content,
At door would freedom wait to meet us,
-
Our brothers, hastening to greet us,
To us the sword will glad present." [Pushkin]
-
By "brothers" we understood those abroad.
-
But the "brothers" were not only in no haste
to present the sword to us,
-
but would have been glad to take
the remnants of the USSR military might.
-
There is a lot of disillusion
in your words.
-
Yes as I said, for almost 20 years
I worked for the KGB, in foreign intelligence.
-
And even I believed
that once the ideological barrier had fallen
-
and the Communist Party
no longer had a monopoly on power,
-
everything would change fundamentally.
-
No. There hasn't been
any fundamental change.
-
Because, as it turns out
-
such simple things
but they don't occur to you at once
-
there are also geopolitical interests,
that have nothing to do with any ideology.
-
And our partners should have realised
that such country as Russia
-
has - and cannot but have
its own geopolitical interests,
-
and that we should
treat each other with respect
-
and seek mutually beneficial solutions.
-
But respect is based on strength
and fairness of your position.
-
Yes, yes...
One well-known person once said.
-
You can get much farther
with a kind word and a Smith & Wesson
-
than you can with a kind word alone.
-
Unfortunately, he was right.
-
You had the kind word,
but not the Smith & Wesson.
-
And you had to restore the army
to a large extent,
-
to revive the economy
to save the military-industrial complex...
-
Yes, it’s true...
-
But we had to start with the economy,
of course.
-
We had large debts.
-
I remember, the January of 2001
was the most difficult time.
-
We got together
in the first days of January
-
and discussed if we were able
to carry on servicing our external debt,
-
if we were up to it.
-
The debt was 140% of GDP.
That was the worst-case scenario.
-
The interest on debt gobbled up
a third of the budget, roughly speaking.
-
So that was the debt that Putin got
in the situation the country was in
-
When got the picture, more or less,
-
that we were entering
a completely new phase
-
we realised we didn't have
any new mechanisms, this is first,
-
and second, we unfortunately
didn't have enough people
-
who could come up with some suggestions
in the situation.
-
Putin was on very good terms with president
of the World Bank - James Wolfensohn.
-
We made an agreement with Wolfensohn
-
that he would bring in
a number of world's leading specialists.
-
So we would meet with those outstanding
world's leading experts
-
and Vladimir Vladimirovich
would spend 3-4 hours talking to them.
-
He asked a lot of questions
-
He was keen to learn
about other countries' experience,
-
about possibilities that we had.
-
The first four years,
we didn't have the majority in Parliament.
-
We had to work hard with different fractions
to get one or another decision through.
-
We were making reforms
with massive support from Putin.
-
It was enough for us to feel
that he was behind us
-
and we knew that he would support us
if need be.
-
We adopted a 10-year development programme
for the country.
-
If we look at the facts,
before Putin, even in the new Russia,
-
there wasn't anything similar
to this 10-year programme.
-
I heard a loud bang,
the windows were smashed,
-
I saw people jumping out of the windows,
they tried to survive.
-
My God. it was so terrifying.
-
September 11, 2001.
I remember it as if it were yesterday.
-
My assistant rushes in
and tells me to turn on the TV quickly.
-
I turn on the CNN
and see that terrible footage.
-
President Putin was the first
to call President Bush.
-
That call was the natural reaction
of the President
-
who totally understood
what the international terrorism is.
-
Russia has first-hand knowledge
of terrorism.
-
That's why we can best of all
-
understand the feelings
of the American people.
-
Addressing the people of the USA
on behalf of Russia
-
I would like to say
that we are together with you.
-
I call the President and he asks me
What are your first suggestions?
-
I say, I've got one first suggestion
-
Our nuclear forces are due to hold drills
on September 12, which was planned earlier.
-
So what do you suggest he asks.
-
It's up to you to decide, I say.
But I think we should cancel these drills.
-
Good, he says. I support your suggestion.
-
Let's not get on the nerves of Americans.
Why to get on their nerves at such a moment?
-
there was fighting going on in Chechnya
-
and the terrorists
who were taking part in it
-
including foreigners
from many different countries
-
were referred to by Americans as
freedom fighters" or "insurgents" at best.
-
Once our special services documented
what were simply direct contacts
-
between militants from the North Caucasus
-
and representatives of US special forces
-
in Azerbaijan.
-
They helped even with transport.
-
And when I spoke about that
to the then President of the US,
-
he said - sorry, I will speak plainly
I'll kick their asses".
-
But 10 days later,
my subordinates, the FSB heads,
-
received a letter from their colleagues
in Washington.
-
We have had and will have relations
with all the opposition forces in Russia.
-
We consider we have the right to do this
and we will do this in future.
-
On no account, never and nowhere
must you even try to use terrorists
-
to solve your transitory political
and even geopolitical tasks.
-
Because if you support them in one place
they will raise their head in another.
-
And they will inevitably strike those
who supported them yesterday.
-
But you did warn the Western partners.
-
You told them - why are you supporting
terrorists; it will come back to you.
-
Yes of course.
But some people thought
-
especially those in special forces
of Western countries
-
that if someone is working to destabilise
their main geopolitical opponent
-
which as we realise now
has always been Russia in their minds
-
then it is generally to their benefit.
-
It turned out that's not the case
-
We continue to live
in the old system of values.
-
we are talking about partnership,
-
but in reality we have not yet learned
to trust each other.
-
In spite of a plethora of sweet words,
-
we are still surreptitiously opposed
to each other.
-
Today we must say once and for all.
the Cold War is done with!
-
Today we must say that we renounce
our stereotypes and ambitions
-
and from now on will jointly work
-
for the security of the people of Europe
and the world as a whole.
-
Today decisions are often taken,
without our participation
-
and we are only urged afterwards
to support such decisions.
-
After that they talk again
about loyalty to NATO.
-
They even say that such decisions
cannot be implemented without Russia.
-
Let us ask ourselves: is this normal?
Is this true partnership?
-
After 11th September, 2011, the USA began to
assert that their activities in the world...
-
is explained by the struggle with the international
terrorism.
-
This was illustrated most brightly by the situation
with Iraq.
-
Side by side, the Premier Minister and Russian
President look quite natural in Putin's country
-
Despite the cold weather, the meeting turned warm.
-
to freeze. - I hope, no.
-
This is a very beautiful place. Thank you.
-
The friendliness of the two leaders didn't help to
remove the controversy on Iraq problem.
-
The President Putin rejected the document of the
Britain government on massive weapon...
-
which was named "propaganda" by the Russian
foreign minister.
-
The two leaders agreed on the necessity of check
out the weapon.
-
Maybe, there is another point of view concerning
the question...
-
to what extent we may be sure in existence of
massive weapon in Iraq.
-
There is one reliable way to learn this: to permit
observers to do their job.
-
The support of Russia, the permanent member of
the UN Security Council,...
-
of a new important UN resolution on Iraq will be
significant success.
-
But this advance is very slow.
-
Russia intends to protect its interests in Iraq.
-
Diplomats have a lot of work.
-
Everybody understood the highest responsibility of
the moment...
-
for Iraq, for the region, and for the international
system as a whole.
-
The State Secretary of the USA again accused
Baghdad that it still had an arsenal...
-
of chemical and biological weapons and means of
their delivery.
-
To emphasize the threat from Iraq, Colin Powell
demonstrated a "real evidence".
-
One teaspoon of the dry-powder anthrax was
enough to close the US Senate in autumn of 2001.
-
We've received information from our American
colleagues that Iraq authorities are linked with al
-
Our American friends have recently announced this
at the UN Security Council.
-
I've been in politics not so long. Before, I worked in
secret service.
-
I believed I knew everything from "inside".
-
When I came to politics, I understood that my
Russian colleagues and I,...
-
and French, and other colleagues from special
agencies are just children compared with
-
The route Moscow - Berlin - Paris is considered to
be symbolic.
-
The three countries still have a consolidated
approach to the solution of the Iraq problem.
-
Along with France, Germany, and overwhelming
majority of participants of the international
-
that the Iraq problem may be and should be
resolved diplomatically.
-
Despite active resistance of the international
community, the USA launched this war.
-
I was summoned by President Putin.
Bombardments had already begun.
-
At that time, there were 3,500 of our specialists
there.
-
They were not allowed to be evacuated.
-
I addressed insistently to Saddam Hussein
referring to the errand of my President.
-
Saddam allowed doing that according to a special
time-table
-
Our specialists were evacuated, nobody suffered.
-
President Putin had regular meetings with
President Chirac and Chancellor Schroeder.
-
They discussed global problems.
-
It was absolutely clear that the configuration of the
world was changing.
-
If Europe was united and large, it could have its own
opinion, it would only won.
-
The concept of big Europe from Vladivostok to
Lisbon was aimed at serious interaction.
-
This responded to requirements of the XXI century.
-
Unfortunately, this mechanism was not brought into
-
after the retirement of President Chirac and
Chancellor Schroeder.
-
It seemed to have been very promising.
-
I have not met such hard-working people.
-
He goes to bed very late and may ring up early in
the morning. When does he sleep?
-
He can focus on one subject and, after a short time,
on another.
-
He has an important property, the ability to listen.
-
He listens to everybody, he provides possibility for
everyone to speak out, sometimes more than
-
Due to this, conferences can test for many hours,
breaking a schedule very often.
-
He is often late. This problem actually exists, also
for journalists who write about Putin.
-
We have gone through much In this sense.
-
I was a witness a couple of times why these delays
happen.
-
For example, I asked an additional question at a
meeting with journalists, already when leaving.
-
He says: "And you, Andrei, stay here."
-
And I understood at once what happens with him in
real life.
-
He has infinite calls.
-
I saw how he was diverted from the conversation
with me.
-
The Minister of Finances, Alexei Kudrin, rang up.
-
And there was an intensive conversation with him for
about 20 minutes.
-
He surely had to be late somewhere else due to
-
Kudrin believed that it was necessary to give 11
billion dollars to the Paris Club.
-
This was a difficult and a sort of historical solution.
-
I asked: "What have you decided?" - "Maybe, we'll
give."
-
About a week later the news said.
-
Russia returns debts to Paris Club."
-
Putin's position was that debts of Russia had to
be as small as possible.
-
He believed it was necessary to reduce dependency
of Russia on IMF.
-
He understood that Russia had to be an
independent country.
-
It would be difficult to o and be in a critical
situation.
-
We were absolutely import-dependent country until
1998.
-
I remember how 2,000 people In Krasnoufimsk
stood and yelled: "Give us insulin!"
-
I think, it was necessary for someone.
-
The new president gave me a hope and a message.
-
it's time to stop buying-selling and to take up
production.
-
We decided: let's build a pharmaceutical European
standard plant.
-
Our goal was to achieve a very high level.
-
It was a direct interference of Vladimir Vladimirovich
in a foreign lobby against its pressure.
-
Everybody told me: "Five teams have failed! What
do you want to do?"
-
I'm an ordinary man; Putin just helped me to
implement my idea.
-
We created 300 working places for young jobless
girls.
-
We understood that along with economical
problems, we resolved a greater problem.
-
Today, we have insulin much enough to assure the
drug safety of Russia.
-
There are supplies to other countries and supplies
to the EC are under preparation.
-
It is a victory, isn't it?
-
What moments do you have in memory as the
most tragic and difficult?
-
Of course, these were the terrible terrorist acts.
-
The terror attacks on the school in Beslan
on the Dubrovka Theatre in Moscow.
-
Those were perhaps the most tragic moments
-
which all our people had to go through.
-
Do you remember the Nord-Ost?
That was not an ordinary terror attack.
-
The seizure of the building
the seizure of hostages.
-
I kept Putin informed on a non-stop basis,
day and night.
-
At that time he didn’t leave his workplace.
-
A lot of people thought that the main task
was to destroy the terrorists.
-
No, the main task was to save the people.
-
It was night already.
-
I was cut off from my security guards
and let in there.
-
I met the leader of those terrorists
ovsar arayev.
-
He was without a mask,
but there were masked gunmen around.
-
I tell him, let the women and children go
-
Nowhere in the Koran does it say
that you can fight with women and children.
-
And he replies, if there is no order
to pull the troops out of Chechnya
-
he meant the Russian troops
-
from 10 o'clock in the morning
-
every half an hour,
-
I will shoot one person.
-
after that I went to Vladimir Vladimirovich.
-
Of course he was worried
and you could see his jaw muscles move.
-
Of course...
-
He didn't tell me
that there would be a raid at 4 o'clock.
-
Careful! Don't touch the wires
-
It was a severe test.
-
He's had too many of them
during his time in office.
-
No President in no country
have met with so many adversities.
-
Not a one
-
And every of them, naturally,
-
is a heavy burden on his shoulders,
on his mind, on his heart.
-
It was the most terrible day for me.
-
I couldn't imagine myself
without Akhmad Kadyrov.
-
After Akhmad-Khaji died,
he invited me to his office.
-
The President of Chechnya
Akhmad-Khaji Kadyrov
-
served his people with dignity and courage.
-
Throughout all these years, he covered
Chechnya and the Chechens with his own body
-
and he firmly led his republic
to peaceful life.
-
Akhmad-Khaji Kadyrov departed this life
on the 9th of May,
-
on the day when all our nation
celebrate Victory Day.
-
And he left undefeated.
-
In the first Chechen campaign, I fought
against the federal centre, it's no secret.
-
We remember how we took Grozny.
-
Then we left Grozny.
-
We remember what was the position
of the federal centre.
-
That's why there was mistrust
towards the federal centre.
-
And the majority of young people
went to the woods to the mountains...
-
I was 17 I was young.
-
Everyone was called to war.
So I went too.
-
There were different people there
-
Arabs, people from Jordan,
from Africa too.
-
Well, mercenaries.
They came to fight for money.
-
We were not paid.
-
We thought we were fighting
for our people for freedom.
-
In 1999 the second campaign began.
-
The federals had me on their wanted list.
-
So I couldn't stay at home
I went to the woods again.
-
There were guys
who had been granted an amnesty.
-
As soon as Akhmad-Khaji died
the gossip was spread
-
that they would be persecuted.
-
There was panic in the republic.
-
When I was on a visit in Moscow,
I went to President.
-
I told him about our situation
-
and said that we need an opportunity
to legalize them somehow.
-
They were ready to fight for Russia
for our people.
-
I remember how difficult it was
to make that decision.
-
In the end, we granted an amnesty
to over 7 000 people.
-
President Putin, we are with you
and with the people.
-
That way not 7 000
but 70 000 lives were saved.
-
The Chechen Republic of today
is a peaceful and flourishing land.
-
The people live differently,
they see life differently.
-
I'd like to say something
which might be a bit unexpected
-
The Orthodox Christians, Muslims,
Jews, Buddhists
-
people belonging to traditional religions,
-
that is to those religions that have always
existed on the territory of Russia
-
they all belong to one civilization.
-
One distinctive feature of this civilization
-
is the ability to see people
of a different religious tradition
-
as one of theirs.
-
And the President - an orthodox Christian
who goes to Orthodox church
-
treats people of other religions
as his brothers.
-
He wishes them happy holidays.
-
He gives them cooperation and support
for the issues they raise.
-
When Kazan turned 1000 years
we gathered in the theatre to celebrate it.
-
Vladimir Vladimirovich went on stage
to congratulate us.
-
Suddenly he started speaking in Tatar.
-
If you'd heard the roar of applause he got!
-
People were smiling.
-
They just didn't let him
continue his speech.
-
But he came up with a quick answer
-
He said, hold on it's not all yet.
-
This is not all I can.
-
And he went on speaking in Tatar
and people applauded even louder.
-
For those...
-
For those who are only beginning
to learn the Tatar language
-
and haven't understood everything I said,
-
I'd like to point out one thing
-
Kazan has really played
a unique historic role
-
in building a united nation of Russia
-
in creating a united and solid people
of Russia.
-
The ability to find understanding
-
a common language with the public,
-
for a leader of any rank
and especially for a leader of a country,
-
I must say, this is a gift,
it is not simple at all.
-
I don't think we can talk
about one particular achievement.
-
He's achieved the most important thing.
-
He came and started running the country...
-
I remember the regions
which may not be leaders but live well now,
-
for example, Kursk, Tambovsk Regions,
Voronezh Region...
-
They used to be on the brink of ruin.
-
In the 2000s, wherever you went,
to whatever regional capital...
-
There was darkness... Egyptian,
puddles, mud, smashed roads...
-
And look how things are today.
-
People live in the country
and earn good money, very good money.
-
They can provide for themselves.
-
Besides they provide for Moscow
and half of the country
-
at least half of the country.
-
After the institute I wanted to try myself,
to work in my profession exactly.
-
When I saw everything here
for the first time
-
I was both amazed and excited.
-
We love all these cows very much.
-
In these conditions, they ought
to live long and happily and to give us milk.
-
I came here two years ago.
-
I've got a flat,
a regular job and a regular income.
-
If everyone does the job
they like and can do,
-
the country as a whole will grow
it all depends on us.
-
This is very important.
This is the food security of the state.
-
We are surrounded by countries
with developed economies.
-
We must frankly tell: they press us out from the
perspective markets where it is possible.
-
Their visible economical advantages give a reason
for a rise of geopolitical ambitions.
-
All our decisions, all our deeds must become
subject of the idea that in the nearest future
-
Russia would secure a place among really strong,
economically advanced and influential countries of
-
In a decade we must at least double GDP.
-
Many people doubted that it was possible
-
Somebody even laughed at it, said: Well, it is not
difficult to double it from zero.
-
First of all, we set a clear and understandable
system of taxes for minerals extraction.
-
The state started to receive income from gas and
-
And before this it was not significantly less, it was
not clear, extremely not clear, not fair.
-
In 2003 a problem with Yukos appears.
-
As for Khodorkovskiy, he was our colleague.
-
How did it happen that such story took place is now
hard to explain
-
And frankly speaking, besides a purely humane
commiseration for Khodorkovskiy
-
who 10 years, maybe best 10 years of his life spent
where he spent (prison)...
-
It is like in a family when children are explained that
something is forbidden
-
they start to check whether it is really forbidden or
is allowed a little.
-
It was not only Yukos who went the way of
reducing taxes, tax avoidance.
-
Other companies also. Yukos more.
-
And after tax police finished investigating Yukos
case,
-
many companies also paid significant money to the
budget
-
as a result of extra charges after court decisions.
-
All your friends say that the main problem with
Putin
-
is that he finished faculty of Law and likes it very
much.
-
He always acts within the boundaries of the law.
-
It is impossible to make Putin breach the law.
-
It is right. I had very good teachers, very good, I'm
very thankful to them.
-
They hammered some principles, some
fundamental things into our heads,
-
which I consider not only correct from book's point
of view, but correct and necessary by life.
-
I don't remember if I told already or not.
-
When I came to work in Leningrad department of
KGB, and we planned some...
-
I don't remember a small operation
-
and one of our veterans proposed to do something.
-
And he said that we needed to do this and this.
There were quite many people there.
-
I told him: "Listen, I think it is illegal."
-
Next is an interesting thing.
-
He looked at me with a surprise and said: "What?
-
We have a certain instruction and said the number
of this instruction of KGB USSR."
-
I said: "If it exists, then it must be cancelled,
-
because it contradicts to this law, that law,
contradicts the Constitution."
-
This is not a joke, I didn't make it up. It was in
reality. I was young, I just came from the university.
-
They just laughed at me, thank, God, it was already
1976,
-
it was far from the time of repressions there were
completely different times.
-
This place is called Russian Calvary - Butovskiy
training area, area of death.
-
Here the authorities killed its own people without
charge or trial.
-
The brotherhood grave with length of more than 1
km, dead bodies are set in several layers.
-
Most of the killed are simple people, arrested for
being late for the work,
-
accident damage of factory equipment or non
execution of the workday norm.
-
I was shocked by the story of Butovskiy training
area.
-
I went the whole way together with him
and understood what was going on with him.
-
And I could hear him saying: "God, what did they
-
Honestly speaking, I haven’t written till the present
moment about all what he said then.
-
Because at a certain moment it seemed to me that
it was a too personal of a story.
-
He saw the lists of the killed, the gravestone, and
the most important,
-
he walked on this ground in which these people lied,
where they were shot down.
-
At this moment it seemed to me that the ground
was burning under his feet.
-
And this was not an exaggeration.
-
President Putin, after meeting him, after talking
with him, I realized,
-
that he may look like extremely cold cool-headed
and cold-blooded.
-
And he behaves correspondingly.
-
But I thought that inside of him, in his heart there is
a warm blood
-
A person who doesn't like to live skilfully, handily.
-
So, such a person, that if he will need to make
some actions for getting some profit, money, some
-
and these actions are not acceptable for him, he will
never make such actions.
-
He had such a great teacher as Rakhlin.
-
And when he taught judo to the President, he didn't
in a ou e uca ion o a rest en .
-
He wanted to make one more man by means of
judo.
-
A person who firmly stands on his feet.
-
I always say, you know: there are two origins in
every person
-
There is a personal energy, a personal origin,
emotional, intellectual, and so on.
-
And there is an energy of the place energy of the
chair.
-
And they always collide. If the energy of the chair is
stronger, the person is significantly distorted.
-
If the human origin is stronger than the energy of the
chair energy of money
-
the person remains the same.
-
Putin has such powerful human energy that it
overcomes stages of his career,
-
He invited us to Zavidovo. I remember it was
August.
-
We sat down in a small pavilion several people, and
he presented the idea of national projects.
-
National projects concerning the project of
education, medicine,
-
agriculture and housing projects.
-
When perinatal centers started to work in Russia
the perinatal center in Yaroslavl,
-
we felt it. Birthrate has increased significantly here.
-
Andrey and Aleksandr. This is the second delivery
-
The elder is a girl, 3 years.
-
He smiles, look, take photo.
-
Every year the number of births in the perinatal
center increases.
-
And this year this number was 500 more than last
year.
-
Take the matter of mother capital.
-
This is not just a propaganda of family values,
not just a propaganda that a big family is good.
-
This is real state policy directed to support the birth
of children.
-
This is a world view approach, and this is the most
important.
-
You know, presidents must solve many-sided
tasks.
-
And economy, and politics, and medicine, and
education
-
and infrastructure, and oil, and gas, whatever,
international relations.
-
But no one teaches you to be like this, you become
-
He has an exceptional capability to grasp the
subject
-
Himself... he has such an expression: ''I will get
inside it, and then we will talk."
-
He wants to master something new all the time,
and he masters it.
-
Invisibly for everybody, he mastered English - bang!
and Putin speaks English
-
Don't forget that he doesn't have neither days-off
nor vacations.
-
He does it from 1 till 2 at night, or from 7 till 8 in the
morning. He doesn't have another option.
-
And he does it anyway.
-
He had never skated.
-
Now he plays hockey.
-
He doesn't speak loud, doesn't yell at anyone. And
thus hides his inner character.
-
In the beginning skiing for Putin was an intensive
practice
-
That's why when you see him on a mountain, for
hours uphill and downhill...
-
He comes for 2.5-3 hours,
-
and during this period neither a cup of tea nor break
for talking, just uphill and downhill.
-
I don't know where and how he learnt to play
piano.
-
I know only that he did it consistently.
-
In the beginning, we witnessed how he started to
play with one finger, one hand.
-
Then, in several days the second hand was added.
-
He is in fact from a usual working family.
-
The same way like millions of others.
-
Millions of his compatriots, like me, like you.
-
- Vladimir Vladimirovych, I need your help. - I listen
to you. - My son is under arrest.
-
please, help, take care of it.
-
He was brought up in a multifamily flat.
-
And indeed this influence was serious.
-
a crack, water was flooding in in winter.
-
Look, in principle, no matter how paradoxically it
is, 80% of people can hear him and understand
-
than 20 % of officials and the intellectuals.
-
It seems to me, he feels his role, first of all, as a
defender of simple people.
-
People pass him some notes all the time, some
pieces of paper,
-
something is written by pencils with uneven
handwriting.
-
He take it by himself, or when he has full hands, he
passes to someone of assistants.
-
And the most awful for assistants is when in two
hours he asks: Where are these pieces of papers?
-
I say: Which? He says: An old woman gave me, we
stopped in the street.
-
The telephone rings, he says: During some trip, an
old woman approached me...
-
a certain family applied to me.
-
In my trip there was a corresponding manager,
-
he has all original information how to find this
person, call him and solve the question.
-
The winter started. - Yes. Welcome. - Thanks.
-
We decided to look, with Yevgeniy Stepanovych,
how your medicine, culture works...
-
You are interested in what people tell you.
-
You look at people with whom you talk and want
to listen.
-
Why? Because you want to find another source of
information? A tuning fork?
-
No. In general I don't try to find some extra
sources, tuning forks...
-
I don't need to search for it, I have it all.
-
I don’t even know why. It is even hard for me to tell,
you understand?
-
I say that not to make myself look good I just feel
myself as a part.
-
A part of our country, our people. Certainly
it is important for me, when we meet with people...
-
These signals come to me immediately, when I feel
that people are not satisfied with something,
-
anxious about something, worried about something.
-
Certainly, such feedback is necessary, but it can be
like hitting a wall.
-
But can reach.. Thank God, this feeling is not lost
yet, and I manage to feel it at once.
-
It is precisely that... I have never been in so called
elites. This is really good indeed because...
-
when people live in another stratum... are born
there,
-
it is also not bad thank God, there are own big
advantages there too.
-
when people are born, live, brought up in a certain
elite society, there are also advantages.
-
But I have been watching for a long time...
-
I highly respect such people, and envy a little,
because initially,
-
from first steps of life they manage to absorb many
important useful things,
-
which help to achieve big results in various fields.
-
But for the person who deals with work which I do
now and the previous years,
-
this link and feeling of fellowship with people,
usual people are highly important and helps in work.
-
My mother told me: Be afraid of those for whom
the power is a dream.
-
Go to those for whom the power is a cross.
-
I came to Vladimir Vladimirovych and said: Vladimir
Vladimirovych, we must rebury lllyin.
-
Illyin is a genius Russian philosopher, this is a
person who
-
all his life tried to explain himself and others and
to understand what is going on, why it takes place
-
Illyin died abroad, in Switzerland.
-
In short, the lease of the land for IIlyin's grave came
to the end.
-
And according to Swiss laws another person could
be buried there if this grave is not looked after,
-
if there are no relatives.
-
And then Vladimir Vladimirovych heard that and
took closely to his heart and personally.
-
And the decision was made to rebury Illyin on the
cemetary of Donskoy Monastery.
-
Brothers and sisters! Today we are participants of
a historical even
-
Co-memorable sons of Russia come back to the
native land.
-
general Anton Ivanovych Denikin and philosopher
Ivan Aleksandrovych lllyin together with their wives.
-
This is not just a physical transfer of remains of
two great persons to our land.
-
I hope this is the beginning of the end of the dreadful
civil war.
-
Reburial of lllyin, reburial of Denikin, and before that
reburial of Shmelyov, our brilliant author,
-
these all are fragments directed at consolidation, at
stopping of the civil war in heads.
-
The motion to gather that spiritual strength
-
earned by these great Russian people throughout all
their lives
-
devoted to thoughts and deeds concerned with
Russia.
-
If you see the scale of a country and try to make
this atmosphere common,
-
only In this case 80% can tell you: Yes, we are
together with you.
-
At the same time, people who not just live, live not
well,
-
who have problems, who have big claims to local
authorities and to supreme power
-
but when they understand that there is a person
above them for whom the power is a cross and he
-
and he consolidates the society, and only national
interests become his personal interests
-
when he bears responsibility for everyone, including
the whole country,
-
only in this case people who not just live, can say.
Yes, we are together with you, we will be patient.
-
At that moment young Russia had no large-scale
projects and large-scale victories,
-
which would allow to show the whole world that
-
we are not a shatter of a great empire, but we are
an independent,
-
big, serious state with our own achievements,
ambitions.
-
And in 2005 the application for winter Olympic
games was made.
-
Frankly speaking, I'm a sinner.
-
I didn't believe that we would be given the right to
organize winter Olympic games.
-
On the eve of a session of International Olympic
committee in Guatemala,
-
where the question was whether Putin should go to
Guatemala or not,
-
what if we suddenly lose, I told him: "Vladimir
Vladimirovych,
-
if you don't go, I guarantee that we will lose.
-
But if you do go, then there is a risk that we will
lose anyway."
-
But without you going we stand no chance.
-
When Vladimir Vladimirovych arrived to
Guatemala within 2 days
-
there were 30-40 meetings with key members of the
International Olympic committee.
-
It lasted non-stop day and night.
-
And there was a rehearsal at which he arrived.
-
And we rehearsed the entrance, he participated in it
ry disciplinarily.
-
But for us the most important thing was to
determine the chronometry.
-
And he took out his precious papers and I was full
ears.
-
He says: Are you ready? I say: Yes.
-
He says: Let’s go. I turned on.
-
And nothing happens. He reads to himself.
-
He says: That's all. Stop.
-
Dear President! Members of the International
Olympic committee! Ladies and Gentlemen!
-
I ask you to support Olympic dream of millions f
Russians who are waiting for our decision with a
-
Thank you.
-
It was like an explosion, like a bomb We needed
to show,
-
like they say now, respect to the International
Olympic committee.
-
So that they would understand that they were given
a gesture of real respect.
-
These two phrases in French - bang! And it
happened.
-
Olympic games are ours, that's it.
-
The question of the country is perhaps the major
value
-
Then perhaps, a question of family, personal
relations and friendship, maybe.
-
He always shows devotion of such friendly relations.
-
I know how hard he suffers personal betrayal.
-
I know people with whom he had good relationships.
-
After they made some deeds which didn't comply
with his idea of peace and decency,
-
he just cut them out and never met with them again.
-
Personal contacts, personal contacts exist
exactly to be kept in private.
-
But I can tell several things.
-
Some time ago a CD was made... in 1999, I
guess...
-
The CD is called "Songs of the country which
doesn't exist any more".
-
Very good songs, good singers and words, and
music.
-
Sometimes we sing.
-
They say: We choose our enemies and friends by
ourselves, but neighbours are God given.
-
We are neighbours given by God.
-
I think that there are no more such close neighbour
-
allied relations like between Russia and
Kazakhstan.
-
It is objective, let no one get offended, we are the
closest countries.
-
Now we are talking about Eurasian Economic
Union.
-
This project is proposed by me. Now they say that
Russia is making a new Soviet Union.
-
Everybody is called... I proposed it because if
European Union is made, it is normal, right?
-
And if we start to say something it is bad.
-
This is a usual approach to such questions.
-
Desperate attempts of some countries to save their
role of the only development center,
-
the only center of the world control
-
have resulted in erosion of the international law, the
notion of the international security,
-
European security. The erosion of Yalta system has
started
-
of the unipolar conditions,
-
and tendency to the world supremacy.
-
Whatever has happened in the history of the
mankind.
-
However, what is the unipolar world?
-
However this term is decorated, it finally means in
practice only one thing.
-
this is one center of power, one center of force, one
center of decision making.
-
This is the world of one master of one sovereign.
-
I was surprised by the reaction of German and
other foreign journalists.
-
They forgot that they were journalists.
-
They stopped taking notes, they were sitting with
their mouths open
-
watching and listening what he was saying
-
One-sided, often illegitimate actions haven’t solved
any single problem.
-
Moreover, they have become the generator of new
human tragedies and trouble spots.
-
From one side - shock, from another - hidden
dissatisfaction They came to me: Why so sharp?
-
I say: What was sharp?
-
Speaking about this issues as an old soldier of the
Cold War, I would like to draw your attention
-
that one of the speeches almost caused a nostalgia
about those less complicated times.
-
Almost.
-
Many of you have big experience in diplomacy or
politics.
-
I, like one more speaker, have completely different
experience - experience of intelligence activities.
-
I suppose that old spies have a habit of blunt
speaking.
-
Fine, I will then answer on that I can read by
myself.
-
And if I don't answer, you will remind me your
questions.
-
What would be with Kosovo and Serbia?
-
Only Kosovans and Serbians can know it.
-
And let's not decide for them
-
how they should make their life.
-
One should not make himself a God and solve all
problems for all peoples.
-
We can only create conditions and help people to
solve their problems.
-
We got acquainted with Putin in one very small
department of one very big organization.
-
Big organization is certainly KGB of USSR,
-
and small department, it's really a small
department, of foreign intelligence.
-
We served as young officers, senior lieutenants,
captains.
-
At that time there were illegals in our department
-
Those who came back to the motherland after... 20
years of illegal work in the West.
-
We recall them with Vladimir Vladimirovych, when
we have some free time to reminisce.
-
People served, you understand by yourself, not for
money.
-
They risked hugely.
-
And whatever happened to them - these are illegals.
-
They were a live example.
-
They worked for the country, for the motherland
-
This is the essence.
-
Without any political colour, ideology and so on
-
After serving in KGB and intelligence, his entrance
in democratic life,
-
meeting new rules of life, possibilities took place
precisely during the work with Sobchak.
-
It was Sobchak being a bright character and
one of the leading activists,
-
accelerated his understanding of all events.
-
We all went out of the country, we considered
that the country had to prevail over everything.
-
And, to my mind, Sobchak taught us all how we
can keep balance,
-
where we can see new possibilities of democratic
country democratic order
-
freedom of opinion discussion defense of opinion
political competence.
-
in 2008, after serving two terms of presidency,
Putin had an incredibly high rating.
-
The question arose and it was the main question.
-
would Putin stay for the third term or finally
according to the Constitution
-
would leave this position, the most important for the
country which didn’t get strong yet
-
to another leader. This question bothered everybody.
-
Thoughts and talks were only about it.
-
Vladimir Vladimirovych, during last 2-3 years
appeals to you
-
to stay for the third term sounded more and more
often.
-
More likely, a part of your team also tried to
influence you in this matter.
-
How big was the temptation to consent to these
suasions and to stay for the third term? Thanks.
-
I had no temptation to stay for the third term.
-
Never.
-
From the first day of work as the President of
Russian Federation, I decided at once
-
that I would not breach the working Constitution.
-
I got this vaccination during the work with Anatoliy
Aleksandrovych Sobchak.
-
And I think it is an important signal to the society in
general.
-
Everyone must obey the working law, starting with
the head of the state.
-
To your mind, what was your main success,
main achievement at the position of the state head?
-
And what has gone wrong? What do you consider
as your main failure during these years? Thanks.
-
I don't see any serious failures. All set goals were
achieved, tasks - completed
-
I'm not ashamed in front of people who chose me
twice for the position of the President of Russian
-
All these 8 years I worked hard like a slave
galley, from the morning till night.
-
And did it with full force.
-
I'm satisfied with results of my work
-
Hundreds of thousands of tourists and heads of 40
countries of the world are guests.
-
All at 300th anniversary of Saint Petersburg.
-
Veteran of the war, Mayerbeck Dzgoyev was one of
the first to get a course at the multifaceted medical
-
Unique equipment is installed here.
-
A tanker of ice class is commissioned.
-
Prayer towers can be seen from any point of
Groznyy, even at night.
-
The heart of Chechnya already claims for the title of
the biggest mosque in Europe.
-
The North pole is ours.
-
We have it, friends. - It goes, it goes...
-
Hello, Russia Hello, Moscow.
-
We have a chance to develop like we did it last
years.
-
And I am sure we have to choose this way. We have
all chances for this.
-
Did you get cold? - No.
-
Can you give me one minute? - Yes.
-
Elections of the President of Russian Federation
took place.
-
In 2008 when Putin started to work as the Prime
Minister
-
It seemed that it would be... the time of resting on
your laurels.
-
I.e. he was the head of the state, he saved the
country from collapse.
-
He set it on trajectory of stable development.
-
He paid all debts.
-
With external, with internal.
-
He raised the living standards of the population
-
and he raised it not for the future generations, but
for the present.
-
This never happened in the history of our country
-
And in theory, he had to enter the this wonderful
white house at Krasnopresnenskaya quay,
-
sit down in the cabinet and say: Thanks God.
-
And the world crisis broke out
-
In fact, it was 45 Everybody was scared nobody
lived in such a strong stress of the world scale.
-
And again, what has Putin done?
-
He went to the public and said: I bear responsibility
that 1998 would not repeat.
-
I bear personal responsibility
-
Turn up his sleeves, and kept on rowing his galley
from dusk till dawn.
-
The fate of tens of thousands of people was at
stake.
-
If the state didn't help they would just go to streets
and became unemployed.
-
How many people worked here?
-
Around 3 000 people worked here before the crisis.
-
At this enterprise? - Yes. Now 2 345.
-
Are listed? - Right. Among them 2 thirds are in
down time.
-
At one working site there were three joint stock
companies.
-
And at a certain point we got messed
-
so that we couldn't find a solution which would allow
the work of the company.
-
I don't see your signature. Come here and sign.
-
Come to me.
-
Here is the agreement.
-
Give me the pen back.
-
I consider that you made thousands of people as
hostages of your ambitions,
-
on-professionalism or maybe obvious greed.
-
It is absolutely unacceptable.
-
And where is that social responsibility of business?
-
Where is it?
-
Here, you know, the matter is not in offence.
-
You can discuss it for a long time.
-
You can remain in stupor, let's say.
-
Not solving some problems. He understands that
he is the last person who has to make this
-
So that these matters would not be discussed but
some actions started.
-
Now as for administration.
-
Nobody will persuade me that the management of
the region and other levels
-
as done all what depended on them in order to
help people.
-
When I said that was going to come here, what did
they replied?
-
No need, let's go I will show you another company
which is recently built.
-
Certainly, well done that you built a new enterprise.
-
Why did you start to run about like cockroaches
just before my arrival?
-
were there no people earlier who were able to
make decisions?
-
All salary debts must be paid.
-
This is 41 242 000 RUB. The deadline is today.
-
Thanks. Good luck.
-
During the crisis, when job cuts started,
-
the complex launched such a huge project as 5000
rolling mill.
-
It saved people from absence of work.
-
Now, tubes which we produce, are used for
complicated pipelines like North Stream.
-
Now for the Power of Siberia for production of
submarines
-
This naturally results on salary, i.e. lately the level
of life risen significantly.
-
We can see real changes. What is used in
Russia?
-
To believe people in practice but not in words.
-
On August 8th 2008, if you remember, it was the
opening day of Beijing Olympic games.
-
We appeared in the same residency.
-
And in one room we were sitting and talking, at that
time his telephone rang,
-
I said: I will go. He said: No. stay here.
-
At that moment he was informed what events took
place in North Ossetia
-
And he listened, listened, put down the receiver, and
was very upset.
-
I asked: What happened? I thought something
happened at his home,
-
something special. I have never seen him like that.
-
And he says: Can you imagine? Our peacekeepers
were attacked,
-
and several soldiers were killed. What did they do?
What did they do?
-
The situation developed dramatically for 17 years.
-
Russian Federation performed peacekeeping
functions for 17 years.
-
It helped to keep peace and calm there
-
It prevented murders which took place from 90s.
-
And tried to keep the unity of Georgian state.
-
Nonetheless after the aggression and genocide
which was started by the regime of Saakashvilli
-
the situation changed and our main task was to
prevent humanitarian catastrophe,
-
to save lives of people for whom we bear
responsibility.
-
He made decision at once to fly from Beijing to
Ossetia.
-
And he goes straight to people, certainly. This is
typical.
-
I.e. all what is concerned with military actions,
he was informed during the flight, and he goes at
-
Camps of refugees hospitals where the wounded
stay.
-
It is a genocide. - A real genocide. They kill the
wounded.
-
My child of 5 months who wasn’t even born, left,
he didn't even see his father, why... I don't know.
-
He was accompanied his personal photographers,
his personal cameraman.
-
I don't know how my father-in-law is, who left in the
village, old man, ill old man.
-
And then he quite toughly gave command
to stop recording because these ladies really had a
-
And it was utter darkness, cameraman just lit the
way with this light so that no one would stumble.
-
You have like Presidency of trials. You overcome
something, another thing falls on you.
-
Chechnya campaign, terror acts, the crisis,
Ossetia.
-
It goes in a long line, it seems that you solved, and
there is again and again.
-
As a manager, at what moment do you feel more
comfortable.
-
when there is a war or when it is peace and
everyday routine?
-
I worked as the chairman of the government.
-
I like this job very much.
-
It is definite, clear... not clear, but anyway it is...
-
more concentrated at certain questions.
-
And one can see the result at once.
-
what you did right, what wrong, where you made a
mistake.
-
When the task has a more global character,
-
then the result can not be understood
at once what it would be in certain time.
-
However, indeed, I have never thought about it. I
always start from what I have,
-
and I solve those tasks which are set for me.
-
In the beginning of 2009 I was at the meeting with
Putin in Sochi,
-
when the fate of Olympic infrastructure was
discussed.
-
In the course of the meeting Putin called many
times so that the budget money would be saved.
-
Because on the one hand we needed to build
beautifully, awesome,
-
and on the other hand, there is the crisis,
-
there is little money in the budget and we should
save.
-
At certain moment after reminding about saving
again, he said: Money is people's.
-
And he said it so quietly, without pathos.
-
But the voice quaked and it was seen that he was
worried personally about it.
-
He really considers that the money is people's, i.e.
earned by the whole country.
-
And thus it must be spent assiduously.
-
Such quantity of trips like at that time to
enterprises, factories, Rosselmash, Avtovaz, he has
-
Besides that this was the summer when awful fires
took place.
-
And we went right the other day to this burning
villages, met with people
-
who sometimes were ready to tear apart
any representative of the authority who would .
-
we are dying, help us, Vladimir Vladimirovych,
help us...
-
Why did no one do it? Why did you refuse from
everything?
-
We stood for you... - Who stood for us?
-
We will restore nothing from these firebrands.
-
We will build new houses.
-
Why did he allow it? - Now, now, wait a second.
-
I want everyone to hear this, can everyone hear me
well?
-
Until winter all houses will be built.
-
Our village will be restored, do you promise us?
Yes, I promise, your village will be restored.
-
These trips covered with smoke and flame of that
Premier-Minister time come to mind first.
-
Then it was a real toil: everyday, getting deep into
the soil.
-
It was a work on a field.
-
Then I remember how we went to the same places,
but with new houses built
-
I invited you for house warming. Let's go inside.
-
The heating is at the minimum.
-
As for the gas, the governor told me: We will not
finish in time.
-
Finished in time. - In time.
-
Considering the proposal to put
my name at the top of the party list,
-
to get involved in party activities
-
and in case of successful elections,
-
my readiness to take over
practical work in the government
-
I think that it would be fair
-
if Congress would support nomination
of Vladimir Putin, Chairman of the party,
-
as a president of the country!
-
When Medvedev proposed Putin
and Putin proposed Medvedev,
-
it did seem to everyone
quite arrogant so to say
-
towards their voters.
-
that there weren't actually
any real elections.
-
And those who didn't make
their choice in Putin's favor
-
during the presidents elections
-
those were the ones who came over.
-
They came to Bolotnaya Square
-
to say that they had different opinion.
-
I came to Bolotnaya to see all this.
-
But they occupied the podium
-
and immediately took the charge of
who is allowed to stand on it or not.
-
Later I was sitting in the bar
in the neighborhood
-
and listening to their ridiculous talks
-
that they will overthrow
Russian government,
-
that they won, they spoke up.
I found it extremely funny.
-
I had very thorough
conversation with Putin.
-
I told him that probably
I will go to Sakharov Avenue
-
I’m not going to say what he told me,
-
but there weren't
any restrictions at least.
-
I simply thought that
-
for the first time on Sakharova Ave
-
will be those representatives of middle class
who were never out on protests.
-
We have to organize platform for a dialog!
-
Otherwise there will be a revolution!
-
Otherwise we'll lose the chance
we are having today.
-
I tried to give authorities
and Putin a push
-
and to find the grounds
for such dialog with people
-
who sincerely care about
situation in the country.
-
But since these people
got very much mixed up
-
with more radical groups
and with nationalists.
-
that's why I noticed later
-
that Putin doesn't see any
representatives for a dialog there.
-
In Putin's opinion, they
have crossed the red line then.
-
They started to beat up policemen.
-
He's killed!
-
It was decided that investigation
will take place
-
and if information will be confirmed,
-
that this man hit the policeman,
he'll be put in jail then
-
And it did happen.
-
Most important is that
-
it was not only in accordance with
the laws of Russian Federation
-
but also with internal morals of Putin.
-
They are out flying the hang-glider.
-
Out flying it and falling to
the right, the left of the wing.
-
Good birds!
-
Beautiful guys, cute ones.
-
Kseniya Sobchak,
your consistent opposer,
-
projected this whole situation
-
on election statistics.
-
I don't know if you heard about it.
-
So, 63% of the cranes followed Putin,
-
the rest have chosen to fly to the South
-
and only a small group stayed to make
nests on squares and boulevards.
-
Thus, not all cranes flew after Putin.
-
Why don’t I hear applause?
-
That's true.
-
Not all cranes flew... right away.
-
Only the weak cranes didn't fly.
-
And only on the first try.
On the 2nd try everyone flew!
-
Even though.
-
I have to admit,
I have to tell you honestly,
-
a reason that not all cranes flew right away,
-
it was also their leader's.
-
Cause in certain moments,
-
I mean bad weather and strong side wind,
-
pilot is forced to gain
height and speed quickly.
-
Otherwise the system
can turn over
-
What else can I add?
-
There are little birds indeed,
-
who don't fly in a flock at all,
-
they prefer to make their nests separately.
-
Well, what can we do?
-
This is a different kind of problem.
-
Even if they aren't part of the flock,
-
they are still part of our population
-
and we should treat them nicely.
-
There were people,
-
Khodorkovsky and Berezovsky, for instance
-
who took absolutely intransigent
aggressive stand against him.
-
Vladimir Vladimirovich,
-
one year ago you pardoned Khodorkovsky.
-
He promised you to stay away from politics.
-
But now he is even announcing
his presidential ambitions!
-
I have a question in this regard.
don't you regret...
-
And where is he going to run for president?
-
Mr Khodorkovsky appealed to me for a pardon,
-
he has sent a relevant paper at least.
-
And it seemed that he wasn't
planning to go in politics.
-
But when I was making
a decision about pardon
-
I wasn't considering
whether he will do it or not,
-
whether he'll go into politics or not.
-
It's his choice.
-
I was considering
humanitarian grounds instead.
-
He was writing me then
that his mom was seriously ill,
-
mom is a holy cause you know!
-
am saying this without any sarcasm.
-
And he served most part of his
punishment in places of imprisonment.
-
What would be the point
of keeping him there,
-
considering that he could
miss saying goodbye to his mom?
-
Mother played a part there of course
-
because humanity is very important.
-
Berezovsky wanted
to return to the country.
-
And Berezovsky was talking about
his love to the country etc.
-
That's right.
-
He was writing that he has
made many mistakes,
-
caused damage.
-
He was asking to forgive him and
allow him to come back to Motherland.
-
He was ready to allow him
to come back to the country.
-
He is a strong enough person
-
to forgive those who are
unforgiving to himself.
-
September 5th, 2013
-
Last night Barak Obama
flew across the Atlantic
-
in order to launch a diplomatic offensive.
-
And I also look forward
to discuss situation in Syria.
-
I think that we should take seriously
-
our joint recognition that
chemical weapon use in Syria
-
is not only a tragedy,
-
but also a breach of international law.
-
Barak Obama flew from Stockholm
to G-20 Summit in St Petersburg,
-
though one-on-one with Vladimir
Putin was not in his schedule.
-
Earlier they were ready
-
though in Syria regard
there were preferences only.
-
If M Obama is not able
to persuade world leaders
-
that military response is the only option
-
then convincing Congress and Americans
-
on primary voting held next week
-
will be even more complicated.
-
Couple of days prior to making a decision
-
in regard to begin to bomb Damascus
-
in order to overthrow the regime
-
under the pretence that Syrian
government used chemical weapon,
-
though no evidence was ever presented.
-
On G-20 Summit in St Petersburg
Putin made a proposal.
-
He simply said: "Since you are so
worried about chemical weapon
-
let's work on convincing Syria
-
to sign convention on the
prohibition of chemical weapon
-
and promise to destroy them.
-
There is no need to bomb.
-
if it's all about the chemical
weapon and nothing else.
-
In this case we are ready
to use our influence
-
to convince Syria to join convention
-
on the prohibition of chemical weapon
-
and would sign with a relevant organization
-
agreement on its destruction.
-
I would like to remind you, that
using force against a sovereign state
-
is solely allowed in case
of the self-defence,
-
and as we know,
Syria isn't attacking USA,
-
and secondly,
-
by the decision of UN Security Council.
-
As one of the summit
participants said yesterday,
-
Those who act otherwise,
put themselves outside of the law."
-
In the beginning there wasn't any dialog.
-
There was a handshake
on the meeting ceremony.
-
Some people said it was cold,
-
others that it was timid or aggressive
-
Next morning totally unplanned
contact took place.
-
Every participant of G-20 was witnessing
-
that they started to talk.
-
Putin and Obama.
-
They started this conversation on foot
-
and then sat down in
a corner of a small hall.
-
It was continuing
for few minutes at first.
-
All country leaders were
standing there and waiting.
-
Five, ten minutes have passed.
-
They weren't paying attention of course
to what was happening around.
-
I guess that in terms of the protocol
-
there was an awkward pause.
-
But it didn't really hang in the air,
-
cause all leaders of the countries
-
were glancing into the corner
where two presidents were sitting
-
and we could feel the
complete understanding
-
of how important this talk
was for the whole world.
-
Of course Putin and
Obama didn't succeed
-
in solving Syria’s problem.
-
However...
-
disposal of the chemical weapon stocks
-
which Syria had back then
-
did take place and it is completed.
-
And who knows,
-
if they wouldn't reach an agreement then
on disposal of the chemical weapon
-
what could have happened today
-
if it would get into the hands of ISIS?
-
Into the hands of people who
are cutting off heads
-
burning people alive etc.
-
He was urging his partners
to make agreements
-
not for a half-step ahead,
not for a period of 2-3 years
-
when on the next elections
-
they'll need to impress the voters
with a new glamorous victory,
-
no it should be a bit further
-
Looking beyond the horizon.
-
You see that's the thing
-
which really differs our
Western partners from Putin.
-
So, you are proposing this
concept of the fair world order,
-
but you suddenly find out that the world
isn't willing to listen to you.
-
They are calling black white
and vice versa.
-
Do they fear the role Russia
began to play in the world?
-
When from practically failing state
-
it suddenly became a
powerful political player?
-
When you became if I may say so
-
the leader of the conservative part
-
of both European and American society?
-
Well, you are digging too deep.
-
Sometimes I get a feeling
-
that they like us only when we
need humanitarian aid from them.
-
Everything is good then,
they are sending potatoes,
-
and I'm very thankful for that
no kidding,
-
many people were doing this sincerely,
-
ordinary people in particular
-
However so-called establishment,
-
political and economic elites
of these countries
-
they only like us when we are poor
and standing with a begging bowl.
-
As soon as we start talking
about our interests
-
and they start feeling sort of
geopolitical competition,
-
they don't like that.
-
Well, would you like if a new guy
comes to your TV channel,
-
strong, powerful and young,
-
with good manners
and encyclopedic education
-
and will be slowly pushing you out?
-
You'd be struggling too
and start fighting him.
-
You know that's the human nature.
-
Same story for international relations.
-
I am strongly convinced
-
that we aren't breaching
any game rules.
-
By the game rules
-
I mean primarily
public international law,
-
UN Charter and everything
associated with it.
-
It concerns our relations with Ukraine
-
it concerns situation in Crimea,
-
it concerns how we position ourselves
-
in other regions of the world,
-
in regard to fighting
international terrorism.
-
It concerns our problems
in the field of global security.
-
By that I mean for instance
-
our position on USA withdrawal
from the crucial treaty
-
on the limitation of
Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems.
-
When we start bringing this up,
-
when we mention for instance
that there is a threat
-
of NATO expanding to the East
-
and military infrastructure
approaching our borders
-
That's how you go out for confrontation.
-
And at this moment
-
as we can see, it took the form
of so-called sanctions.
-
I was mentioning it
in my address already,
-
that it's no more than the attempt
-
to restrain Russia's development.
-
We see such attempts
during all Russian history,
-
from the tzar's times.
-
This attempt of restraining Russia
-
it's a policy known for centuries.
-
There is nothing new.
-
However, we shouldn't be too worried.
-
was hoisted and
I was singing really loud.
-
Almost shouting.
-
Because country under this flag won
-
and I just wanted to sing
very loud and to shout
-
During Olympics and all
these events in Kiev and Ukraine,
-
when anti-Putin propaganda
(or even hysteria) started in Kiev,
-
Putin is here, he is killing Maidan,
-
Putin is shooting our children."
-
That's what was happening
-
and from a private matter it became
public and even national one,
-
and disability to control the situation
-
and the way Western
partners were acting.
-
And when I saw Putin gritting his teeth
-
I suddenly realized that some new
strategy will be launched now.
-
Cause there wasn't anything said,
-
no glass was returned
on the table this time
-
everything was very peaceful and quiet.
-
It was clear though that he saw
himself as representative of Russia,
-
which was not respected and they
tried to push away and insult.
-
It's a feeling of adequacy to the country,
-
to the history of this country,
-
it's a feeling of a certain mission.
-
You start understanding that this is history.
-
The most important for us
was to understand
-
what do people living in Crimea want.
-
Do they want to stay in Ukraine
or to be with Russia?
-
And if people do want to return to Russia
-
and don't want to be
under the rule of neo-Nazi,
-
extreme nationalists and banderovites,
-
we don't have a right to desert them then.
-
And this is absolutely a matter of principle.
-
That's what I was telling
to my partners back then.
-
I was telling them
-
that this was a crucial issue for us.
people.
-
I don't know what kind of interests
you will be defending,
-
but we'll go till the end defending ours.
-
And this is extremely important.
-
Not because we want
to get a piece of the pie.
-
And not even because Crimea's
strategic importance in Black Sea region.
-
But because it's an element
of historical justice.
-
I believe that we did the right thing.
-
And I don't regret anything.
-
We flew to Crimea for referendum.
-
It’s incredible feeling!
-
We saw families going out with balloons,
-
kids with flags of Russian Federation.
-
And all of them are going to elections
-
with happy faces.
-
I saw sober guys crying
on the square in Simferopol
-
Not drunk!
-
Crying from the feeling of
incredible happiness,
-
that finally they have returned home
-
There was a performance
on the fly and we sang.
-
Russia,
-
from Crimea to Yenisei."
-
From Crimea to Yenisei...
-
They were so incredibly happy!
-
Everybody I have seen.
-
After a long hard and exhausting voyage
-
Crimea and Sevastopol
-
are returning to the home harbor
-
to the home shores
-
to the permanent registration harbor.
to Russia!
-
RUSSIA! RUSSIA! RUSSIA!
-
Great! He is simple, cool. I like him.
-
I think he is tough enough, but... I think if you are a
president of a big strong country
-
you must be big and strong the same way as the
country.
-
How many pull-ups do you do?
-
50. - Really?
-
preparing the same way. - These are our people.
-
That generation which grew up during Putin times
is the majority of our society
-
which will lead Russia further next 50 years.
-
This is the generation which step by step have
learnt to say the word 'patriotism',
-
This is the generation which have learnt to wear
dresses with Russian flag, and be proud of it.
-
This is the generation which knows that this, this
and this in our country
-
is much better than anywhere else in the world.
-
What was 15 years ago? Disbelief and ruins in
heads
-
Then a hope, and today unlimited trust that we are
building the state correctly
-
For these 15 years not simply many things have
changed.
-
We have changed completely.
-
Our society has become different.
-
We can see a new, powerful, independent Russia
able to protect itself.
-
I went to Vladimir and to Suzdal to see the sights.
-
And in one of Suzdal monasteries I wrote a note for
health.
-
I was recognized.
-
Mother Superior of the monastery came up to me,
-
and says: Aleksey Borisovych, do you know that for
the last year
-
a number of notes for health of President of Russian
Federation Putin increased drastically?
-
She says: They write like this in notes for health
President of Russian Federation.
-
Vladimir Vladimirovych Putin visited our monastery
on September 9th 2005.
-
It was the first visit of head of Russian state in the
history of Athos.
-
After the ceremonial welcome in the capital city of
Athos, Karyes,
-
Vladimir Vladimirovych took the driver’s seat
-
and drove to Iveron monastery.
-
And just at the exit there was a mule of Athos
standing
-
First there was a police car. then I drove on my car,
and after me President drove
-
And just before him this mule, for some reason, ran
out to the road and ran strictly in the middle of the
-
He tried to take to the left, and the mule took to the
left, to the right - and that to the right, such
-
So, the President understood that something was
wrong, and he followed the mule.
-
I must tell you: there was nothing like this in Athos.
-
So that a mule or a donkey, as we call it, ran in
front of any car and didn't allow to bypass...
-
there was no such case, never.
-
But when on the way back we were driving, a car of
police passed by, then I drove by,
-
we saw that the mule stayed at the same place and
watched us, as if waiting for us.
-
It passed us by without problems, like nothing
happened.
-
We stopped and looked back what would be next
-
As soon as the car of Vladimir Vladimirovych
appeared from the turn,
-
this mule, as if was waiting, ran out to the road at
once, turned around
-
police car and my car were watching it,
-
and it started to run uphill which is harder.
-
Again the same way, in the middle of the road
ahead of the President's car.
-
When going uphill, the mule, maybe because of
fatigue, slacked down
-
Vladimir Vladimirovych slacked down, he didn't
bypass it. But the mule broke in pace.
-
And it could be seen that it ran out, Vladimir
Vladimirovych took a little to the left.
-
started to bypass it, reached it and stopped near it,
it was recorded from the car.
-
And the mule also stopped stone-still at once.
-
And several minutes, I can’t tell you exactly, I didn't
count... we saw that they were standing.
-
Honestly saying, I can’t explain it.
-
Certainly, I want to notice one thing: if it happened
it is a certain sign of Holy Mother, patroness of
-
It was a certain sign to the President. But I think it
is easier for him to understand it.
-
He never comes unprepared for any events.
-
When he comes to such events like a press
conference or live stream,
-
he prepares for many many days.
-
He has 100% concentration, 100%. Every time...
tension..
-
maybe it has to do with inner concentration
-
Because Presidents come to speak such
Presidents like Putin,
-
the price of his words is too high.
-
Vladimir Vladimirovych, things that happen to our
economy now is a payback for the Crimea,
-
maybe it's time to tell frankly about it?
-
No, it is not a payback for the Crimea.
-
This is a payback... or to be precise, it is a
payment for our natural wish
-
to save ourselves like a nation, like a civilization,
like a state.
-
I made an example at so called Valdai club and
recalled our most recognized symbol
-
a bear, who guards its taiga.
-
You know what if I continue such analogues... the
idea comes to my head as well.
-
maybe our teddy-bear must sit calmly, not run pigs
and gilts around taiga
-
and eat berries, honey, maybe it will be left alone.
They will not leave it alone.
-
Because they will always try to enchain it.
-
And as soon as they enchain it, they will tear away
both teeth and claws.
-
And then, after this, as soon as tear away teeth and
claws, the teddy-bear is not required at all.
-
They will make a stuffed animal, that's it. That's why
the matter is not in the Crimea.
-
The matter is that we protect our independence, our
sovereignty and the right for existence.
-
This is what we all must understand.
-
When the Crimea started and when the spirit of
patriotism appeared
-
it suddenly turned out that we have an army.
-
It suddenly turned out that we have a military
industrial complex.
-
It suddenly turned out that despite all statements,
including liberal members of your team,
-
that we shouldn't spend money for defense, it was
unexpectedly, unnoticeably
-
that the military industrial complex was formed
again to be proud of?
-
If we didn't have the military industrial complex and
army
-
we couldn't overcome all problems concerning fight
with international terrorism.
-
Even at the most difficult times from the point of
view of economy in the beginning of 2000s,
-
we did not simply gather an army, and then, I have
already told about it,
-
with total number of 1 million 300 thousand people I
hardly gathered 50 000...
-
I took troops from the Far East, marines from the
Northern fleet, we made up 50 000 ready for fight.
-
Now it is a completely different story.
-
Material conditions of the armed forces until present
was just poor, both moral, and material.
-
You know, concerning this, I would like to use this
opportunity, as they say in such cases,
-
again to say thanks to all our soldiers who at that
time difficult for the country
-
saved the country on their shoulders, with empty
pockets,
-
and I would say in miserable conditions of the
armed forces. I highly appreciate it!
-
the famous 6th squadron of 76th air assault
division...
-
in 2000 around our 100 troopers against 1000-1200
-
At that time there were such gangs in Chechnya.
-
The fight was completely unequal.
-
My son was a commander and guys told that they
heard all messages.
-
His last words were: Drawing the fire on me.
Farewell, pals.
-
Their fight lasted around one day and ended with 6
alive from 90 guys, and 84 were lost.
-
We made the decision, President made the
decision to visit this place.
-
We didn’t control this area at that time.
-
When the President flew away, it was still calm.
-
But when special forces were leaving this altitude,
fighters moved towards this attitude.
-
It was not your fault that the country appeared in
such conditions that it is now.
-
But we are happy that there are such people whom
you raised, with whom you lived.
-
Who stood on the way of further collapse of the
country.
-
And anyway somebody had to do it.
-
After the 10th anniversary I phoned everybody,
found all addresses.
-
Found out all problems, of all, what and who had,
what and who needed.
-
It was a set of papers this thick.
-
In ten days I received a phone call: this set of
papers got to Vladimir Vladimirovych.
-
He wants to meet you.
-
And every governor visited personally in each family,
found out all problems, everything was solved,
-
so that everything was made before this meeting
which was appointed with the President in Moscow.
-
Here, you know, the attitude to those parents who
are left without their children.
-
Our children, they all gave the oath, that's why they
knew how it could end.
-
This famous fight.
-
To my mind, it was already crucial in many aspects
The the course of Chechen campaign.
-
Because fighters, terrorists, who fought against us, I
think, after this fight, understood
-
that they would fail to break the fighting spirit and
the will of our army.
-
Today army is certainly far from what it was 15
years ago.
-
The President announces and gives command to
make a spot check, for example, Far Eastern
-
And we raise 156 000 soldiers within hours.
-
This is thousands of armored vehicles, hundreds of
air crafts and ships.
-
Number of exercises increased manyfold
-
In one word: the shell took off.
-
The army felt itself like army. Officers started to
respect themselves.
-
The contract service has become attractive and
prestigious.
-
If there is no army, strong army, all the rest may not
be required.
-
And this will be not our country.
-
Moments of absolute happiness?
-
Oh, it’s hard to tell you.
-
I can tell that in general we managed..., and
everything together.
-
All together it may cause some satisfaction
-
when you understand where we were and what we
have done.
-
Well, let’s start with the country: we saved the
country.
-
Raised GDP 2 fold.
-
In comparison with 1999, the expenses of the
Federal budget have risen 22 times,
-
if we look at 2014.
-
Real income of the population risen 3 fold.
-
The number of our people who lives behind the
poverty line was almost 42 mln people.
-
And now we have almost in 3 times, 2,8 times less
of people living behind the poverty line.
-
All this together allowed us to solve one more very
complicated task.
-
Look, in 1999 and in 2000 the natural decrease of
the population was 929 000 people, to my mind.
-
I.e. almost 1 million.
-
The difference between deaths and births was 1
million in favour of the first.
-
If we lost 1 million every year, i.e. Russia, it is a
catastrophe.
-
Russia would slowly stop to exist.
-
We did not only stabilize and break this situation,
-
and two years in a row we have the natural
increase.
-
Nobody believed in it.
-
This is not due to mother capital and other systems
of maternity and childhood support.
-
This is due to the general situation. I repeat it gives
more confidence to people
-
in that they can have more children, raise and
educate them, and so on.
-
This is some kind of a multiplier indeed of what has
been done.
-
Maybe, all this together, when thinking about, when
analysing it, this can't but bring satisfaction.
-
For citizens of Nagin in Northern Ossetia
-
the commissioning of a new sports complex became
a real holiday.
-
The platform is 130 m above the sea level. This is
like two Spasskiy towers.
-
The area is just a bit bigger than of a standard
football field
-
Specialists say: There is no such center with such
equipment in Europe
-
The new hydro-electric power station on the Angara
has become the most up-to-date hydro-energy of
-
Besides, all equipment is produced by national
companies.
-
From today the Russky island is called student's
capital of the Far East.
-
The Northern stream starts from here. The big road
of Russian gas to the West starts from here.
-
Russia, in Olympic Sochi, at Olympic level, meets
Formula 1.
-
The legendary auto race took place for the first time
in Russia.
-
Today here there are the best pilots of the world.
-
- The church has its understanding of what authority
must be.
-
At the same time, this understanding is expressed
not by my close predecessors, not by me.
-
It exists during the whole history of the church.
-
The church associates the authority, especially
the top representatives of the authority,
-
with the must-have requirement.
-
full devotion of themselves to that service which they
are are called for.
-
You can't say that this person is working as a
President.
-
He serves in his country as a President. I think it
speaks for itself.
-
Vladimir Vladimirovych, 15 years of Presidency,
-
what does a person who decides to be a President
have to give up?
-
Some normal everyday life.
-
It is inevitable. It is impossible to live like a normal
person.
-
You can’t go to the cinema, can’t go just like this to
the theatre, can't go shopping
-
which is also not deprived of certain sense and
satisfaction.
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But these are not big losses in comparison with...
-
what the fate and the people give to those persons
who appear in my place.
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And this is to make maximum contribution,
everything what depends on me or on us
-
or those who work at such positions for one’s own
country, people.
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It compensates everything.