Vladimir Putin spoke by videoconference with his top ministers this Wednesday at noon. He set the executive’s roadmap for the coming year. But before touching on these questions, which are mainly internal politics, the autocrat opened his interventions with a reference to the war against Ukraine.
“We must in the near future carry out the sovereign and independent development of Russia despite any external pressure, any threat,” he told his government, before adding: “We guarantee the interest and security of our state.”
Vladimir Putin then promised:
“We will strengthen our defense capability, supply all military units participating in the special military operation, and continue development to ensure the prosperity of the people, so that Russia’s immense potential can be realized.” “We have all the necessary resources for this,” he promised.
“Axes of development”
“Resources” which, however, the head of the Kremlin intends to increase. He also recalled the “axes of development” in which he wants to commit his country “by the year 2023.”
He began to list “expanding (of) economic relations to build the new logistics corridors, to make remarkable progress in road infrastructure and agriculture, to create new jobs to improve Russia’s chances of economic development.” He still hoped for the “strengthening of (Russia’s) financial sovereignty” before providing “measures to enable wage increases.”
If these announcements may seem disconnected from military affairs and a thousand miles from the Ukrainian front, the latest “axis” pointed out by Vladimir Putin showed that war was indeed the backdrop for his speech. It is necessary, he urged his ministers, “to ensure good access to quality and affordable health services, especially for the new territories,” citing the four annexed Ukrainian regions.
Source: BFM TV
