Putin addresses the nation, says Russia freezing START participation, upping war readiness
Russian President Vladimir Putin's Speech Lasted One Hour and 45 Minutes, Becoming His Longest Address to Federal Assembly
Putin: There's Information That Washington is Thinking About Natural Test of Nuclear Weapons
The Russian Defense Ministry and Rosatom must ensure readiness for testing Russian nuclear weapons if the United States does it first, Putin added.
Russia Suspends Participation in New START Treaty
The president stressed that Russia did not exit the New START treaty, but only suspended its participation.
He also said that he had signed a decree to put new strategic ground-based complexes on combat duty.
West is Directly Complicit in Kiev's Attempts to Conduct Strikes on Russian Strategic Objects - Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that NATO's demand that Russia returns to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), including providing access to nuclear sites for inspections, is absurd.
"At the beginning of February, NATO made a statement with actual demands to Russia, as they put it, 'to return to the implementation of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty,' including the admission of inspections to our nuclear, defense facilities. Well, I don't even know what to call it — it's some kind of theater of the absurd. We know that the West is directly involved in the attempts of the Kiev regime to strike at the bases of our strategic aviation," Putin said during his address to the Federal Assembly.
Drones used for this purpose were "equipped and modernized with the assistance of NATO specialists," the president added.
"And now they also want to inspect our defense facilities. In modern conditions, today's confrontation, it sounds like some kind of nonsense," Putin said.
Russian-US relations have deteriorated, and this is Washington's "accomplishment," Putin underscored.
By demanding that Russia resume inspections of nuclear sites, NATO, in fact, declared its desire to become a party to the New START, Putin said.
"Having issued its collective statement, NATO actually made an application to become a party to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. We agree with this, please. Moreover, we believe that such a formulation of the issue is long overdue," Putin said in his address to the Federal Assembly.
Russia is Developing International North–South Transport Corridor, Which Opens Prospects for Deeper Cooperation With India, Iran and Pakistan - Putin
Putin: Russia is an Open Country With Authentic Civilization, But There's No Claim to Exceptionalism or Superiority
Putin Quotes Russian Statesman and Reformer Pyotr Stolypin
“In the matter of defending Russia, we must all unite, coordinate our efforts, our duties and our rights in order to maintain one historical supreme right of Russia: to be strong.”
Putin Says Inflation in Russia Will Approach Target of 4% in 2nd Quarter of 2023
nflation in Russia will approach the target level of 4% in the second quarter of 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.
"According to estimates, inflation in Russia will approach the target level of 4% already in the second quarter of this year. Let me remind you that in some EU countries, it [inflation] is already 17%, 12%, 20%. We have 4%, well, almost 5% — the [Russian] Central Bank and the [Russian] Finance Ministry are sorting out the issue among themselves, but it will be closer to the target indicator," Putin said in his address to Russia's Federal Assembly.
Moreover, the share of the ruble in foreign trade payments of Russia has doubled over the past year and amounted to a third, the Russian president said, adding that "given the currencies of friendly countries, this is more than half."
Putin: Russia Knows How to be Friends and Keep Its Word
Russia knows how to be friends and keep its word, it will not let anyone down and will always support in a difficult situation, as it helped Western countries during the pandemic, Putin stressed.
Putin: Those Who Were Born in Donbass and Fought for it Should Become Backbone for Development of New Regions
Putin: 2024 Presidential Elections in Russia Will be Held in Accordance With Law
Elections to local and regional authorities in September and presidential elections in 2024 will be held in strict accordance with the law and in compliance with all democratic and constitutional procedures, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
Putin Says Payments in Dollars Reduced Not by Russia, But by West
It is not Russia that is reducing payments in dollars, as the West is doing everything itself, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.
"We will continue to work together with out partners on the formation of a stable, secure system of international payments, independent of the US dollar and other Western reserve currencies, which, with such a policy of Western elites, Western rulers, will inevitably lose their universal character. They are doing everything themselves. This is not us who is reducing payments in dollars or other so-called universal currencies. They are doing everything with their own hands," Putin said.
Russia to Export 55-60 Mln Tons of Grain in 2022-2023 Agricultural Year - Putin
Russia will export up to 55-60 million tons of grain in the 2022-2023 agricultural year, a level that once seemed like an unreachable target, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.
"Russian agricultural industry collected record harvest, over 150 million tons of grain, including more than 100 million tons of wheat. Until the end of the agricultural year, by June 30, 2023, we will be able to bring the total volume of grain export to 55-60 million tons. Some 10-15 years ago, this seemed ... to be an absolutely unreachable plan," Putin said in his address to the Federal Assembly.
West Not Abandoning Attempts to 'Incite' Post-Soviet States - Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that after the collapse of the USSR, the West hasn't abandoned attempts to "incite" post-Soviet states.
“What else is fundamentally important: all the years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the West did not stop trying to incite o the post-Soviet states and, most importantly, finally finish off Russia as the largest surviving part of our historical state space…” Putin said during his message to the Federal Assembly.
Russian Nuclear Forces Equipped to 91.3%, All Military Units Need This Level - Putin
"Now, for example, the level of equipping Russia's nuclear forces with the latest systems exceeds 91% - 91.3%. And now, taking into account the experience that we have gained, we must reach the same high, qualitative level in all components of the military," Putin said.
West Tried to Destabilize Russian Society From Within But Failed - Putin
The authorities have maintained the stability of the economy, prevented the deficit and collapse of the financial system, the president said.
Putin stressed that the labor market has not sunk, but has improved. Before the coronavirus pandemic, the unemployment rate stood at 4.7 percent, while now it is at 3.7 percent, which is a historical low, the Russian head of state said.
"A solid growth in domestic demand has been predicted this year, and I am convinced that our companies will take advantage of this situation and occupy the niches vacated after the departure of Western companies," the president said.
At the same time, he emphasized the need to not just adapt to the new reality and conditions, but to take the economy to new frontiers. The time is not just for challenges, but also for opportunities, he said.
He stressed that Russian banks are stable and in 2022 turned a profit of 203 billion rubles ($2.8 billion), despite Western sanctions. In the meantime, he stated that additional measures should be taken to de-offshore the economy, while businesses should operate in Russian jurisdiction.
The president pointed out that Russian businesses had shown that they can adapt, and every initiative aimed at the development and benefit of Russia should be supported.
Putin: Anti-Russia Sanctions Are Just Means, While West's Goal is to Make Russian People Suffer
"Sanctions against Russia are only a means, and the goal, as the Western leaders themselves declare ... is to make our citizens suffer, to make [them] suffer ... They want to make the people suffer, thereby destabilizing our society from within. But their calculation was not justified," Putin said during his address to the Federal Assembly.
The West will try to divide Russia, "betting on 'national traitors,'" the president added.
Putin: West Has Already Spent $150 billion on Military Assistance to Ukraine
The West has already spent $150 billion on military assistance to Ukraine, and the flow of money is not stopping, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his address to the Federal Assembly.
Putin: In 1930s, West Practically Paved the Way to Power for Nazis in Germany, and Now They Turned Ukraine Into 'Anti-Russia'
Russia Became Stronger After Reunification With Donbass - Putin
Source: Sputnik
