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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Colleagues, good afternoon.

Today, during our regular Government meeting, we will discuss ways to ensure technological sovereignty with regard to communication services.

But before we begin, I would like to ask Mr Medinsky to share the results of his trip and talks in Istanbul.

Mr Medinsky, please.

Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky: Mr President, colleagues,

Be advised, the bilateral talks in Istanbul began with a restricted-format meeting that lasted more than three hours, followed by an expanded discussion, which included members of the delegations. The discussion was in Russian.

We presented the other side with our two-part draft memorandum on a peaceful settlement. The first part contained terms for a long-term peace agreement. The second part spelled out the ceasefire terms. The memorandum is guided by the basic principles that you formulated at the Foreign Ministry last June. The Ukrainian side promised to study it and give its comments later.

In general, during the talks, they reaffirmed their proposals, which basically include two main points. First, they want to begin with a 30- or 60-day unconditional ceasefire. Second, this ceasefire period is to be used to prepare for a summit meeting of the two heads of state. They set it all out in their version of the memorandum, which was handed over to us on May 28.

Humanitarian issues were also discussed on the sidelines. We called for focusing on working out the terms of peace rather than another temporary truce, and conveyed your opinion that a meeting at the level of heads of state is possible, but it needs to be substantively prepared to achieve results. The heads of state should approve agreements, not spend time working out the details. It is up to them to make final decisions on the drafts that have been fully prepared and coordinated.

When it comes to humanitarian issues, we agreed on the following.

First. Conduct an equal prisoner of war exchange, at least 1,000 people from either side, primarily from among those wounded, severely ill and below the age of 25. The final numbers of this equal exchange are being approved. We expect approximately 1,200 people from either side. It will be the biggest POW swap on record. We are ready to begin on June 7–9. We are fully prepared.

Second. Establish a communication line to promptly resolve urgent issues of immediate transfers of gravely wounded prisoners of war outside the framework of general exchanges.

Third. We proposed, unilaterally, to transfer to Kiev over 6,000 bodies of Ukrainian troops. They will be transferred using refrigerator cars where they are currently kept. We are ready to begin shortly. We understand Ukraine may have bodies of our troops as well although in much smaller numbers. But we are ready to take them over, if any.

Next. We have proposed arranging humanitarian pauses in certain sectors of the front, two or three days at a time, to collect remains, because it is impossible to do so under fire, for security reasons. Initially, they upheld our proposal and took it in, but literally two hours later, Zelensky publicly declined this potential agreement. Nevertheless, we are ready to revisit it.

Finally, the Ukrainian side handed over to us the list of 339 children allegedly kidnapped from the territory of Ukraine. Here is the list. We are working on it, through the office of the Commissioner for Children’s Rights. We will investigate every name.

But I must note that, for propaganda purposes, they earlier claimed that tens and hundreds of thousands of children had been brought over here. In fact, the actual number is 339 and we still need to check how many are in Russia, evacuated by our soldiers from under fire, and how many will eventually turn up in Europe, as experience shows.

Mr President, to conclude, we have established an effective communication channel on humanitarian issues. For other matters, the ball is in their court.

My report is complete. Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you.

Mr Lavrov, what do you think of the outcome of the talks?

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov: Thank you, Mr President.

Colleagues,

Mr Medinsky spoke about the main results. I believe that this is important and useful. The process of direct talks, which you previously agreed on in one of the latest telephone conversations with Donald Trump, is underway.

As we know, both rounds yielded tangible results, including the 1,000 for 1,000 POWs swap. Now, as head of our delegation Vladimir Medinsky said, additional agreements on a new swap, which is as large as the previous one, and not just of war prisoners in equal proportions, but also of the seriously wounded, the sick, plus the return of the dead bodies, have been made.

I believe it is better to always have a channel of communication. It enables us to address urgent humanitarian concerns above all else. At this stage, the coordination of reciprocal humanitarian measures as goodwill gestures and steps toward building trust is especially vital. As I have noted, we are seeing real progress in this area.

In light of what was just mentioned regarding the proposal for a brief two- or three-day pause to allow for the dignified recovery of the bodies of the deceased along parts of the contact line – where wounded individuals may still remain – I consider Kiev’s categorical and harsh rejection of this initiative to be a grave mistake. This comes on top of similar refusals of our proposals for humanitarian pauses during Easter and during the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory.

Nevertheless, Mr President, despite all this, and despite the serious criminal provocations that have taken place in recent days, I believe it is important not to fall into the trap of these provocations, which are clearly designed to derail the talks and continue arms deliveries from European nations.

I believe that all means to achieve the just goals of the special military operation, including negotiations, must be put to use. The Foreign Ministry is actively engaged in Vladimir Medinsky’s delegation.

Vladimir Putin: I agree. There was a report that there also was some comment made by the Ukrainian side about the composition and level of our delegation.

Sergei Lavrov: Yes, Mr President, the comment was anonymous, but it was spread in the media. Nobody approached us with specific questions or specific ideas. Journalists asked about this, and we explained what the level of assistant to the President of the Russian Federation means.

Vladimir Putin: Mr Medinsky, was there anything?

Vladimir Medinsky: No, Mr President, I told you everything. Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: Okay, good. Thank you very much.

I invited Mr Bastrykin to our meeting. I would like to ask him to report on the results of the investigation into the railway explosions in the Bryansk and Kursk Regions.

Mr Bastrykin, go ahead, please.

Chairman of the Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin: Mr President,

On June 1, 2025, the Investigative Committee opened and is currently investigating three criminal cases of terrorist attacks on railway infrastructure facilities in the Bryansk and Kursk Regions.

As a result, a passenger and a freight train were derailed, resulting in fatalities and injuries of varying severity among civilians and railway personnel.

The first attack occurred at 10:33 p.m. on May 31, 2025, at the 43^rd kilometre of the Pilshino–Vygonichi section of the Moscow Railway in the Bryansk Region. Three explosive devices were detonated, causing the collapse of a road overpass above the railway tracks.

A passenger train travelling from Klimovo to Moscow, carrying 388 passengers, collided with the fallen debris. The locomotive and the first two carriages were derailed.

As a result, 122 individuals were affected. Tragically, seven people lost their lives: the train driver and six passengers. A total of 66 people were physically injured, including four young children.

The locations of the three explosive devices have been identified, and their components recovered. Experts have determined that the devices were fitted with a foreign-manufactured plastic explosive, with an estimated yield of approximately 15 kg in TNT equivalent. Significantly, it was also established that a Ukrainian-manufactured LoRa control unit was used to carry out the detonation.

The second terrorist attack occurred on the night of June 1, 2025. A railway bridge at the intersection of the 43^rd kilometre of the Trosna-Kalinovka highway in the Kursk Region was blown up.

The destruction of the railway tracks resulted in the derailment and crash of a train of empty freight cars transported along the Bryansk–Ostapovo–Mikhailovsky Rudnik route. The locomotive caught fire, and the train driver and two of his assistants received bodily injuries of varying severity.

An inspection of the incident site established that five improvised explosive devices had been detonated simultaneously on the railway track and beneath the supports of a railway bridge. According to expert assessments, the devices were loaded with a foreign-made plastic explosive.

Explosive ordnance disposal specialists involved in the inspection determined that the devices had been activated using the same Ukrainian-made LoRa control modules installed on the railway tracks.

The third terrorist attack occurred on the morning of June 1 in the Bryansk Region. Five explosive devices were detonated beneath the railway track at the sixth kilometre of the Unecha-Zhecha section, as an RZhD (Russian Railways) diagnostic locomotive was passing through.

The detonation occurred directly beneath the locomotive. The railway track and the locomotive were damaged. Two unexploded devices were discovered at the crime scene with the assistance of experts. The confiscated foreign-made plastic explosive weighed at least two kilogrammes.

Preliminary estimates indicate that the total damage caused by these terrorist attacks amounts to over one billion rubles. The investigation is being conducted in close coordination with the FSB and the Interior Ministry.

I would like to report that from May 20 to 25, joint operational activities aimed at detecting and neutralising a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group were carried out in the Bryansk Region by the FSB, Rosgvardiya, the Interior Ministry, and the Defence Ministry,.

During these efforts, on May 22, a cache containing 13 kilogrammes of plastic explosive and Ukrainian-made LoRa control modules used by Ukrainian special operations services was discovered near the village of Myakishevo.

All three terrorist attacks involved the same professional method for placing explosive devices, the same type of foreign-made plastic explosive, and the same Ukrainian-made LoRa control modules. Identical modules were found in the cache as well.

Thus, the evidence collected by investigators with the assistance of experts clearly indicates that all three terrorist attacks were, without a doubt, plotted and executed by the Ukrainian intelligence services. The investigation is underway to identify all perpetrators and organisers of the attacks.

That concludes my report.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you.

I ask Mr Murashko to report on how assistance is being provided to the victims.

Minister of Healthcare Mikhail Murashko: Mr President, colleagues,

I will begin from the moment the first information was received by the emergency response centre. It came through at 10:48 pm, and within 15 minutes, the two nearest teams had arrived on site. Subsequently, at 11:15 pm, we increased the number of teams – with additional personnel from Bryansk – to 17, including disaster medicine centres and the Russian Railways (RZD) medical team.

The prescribed response protocols, as well as those we had practised in training exercises, were followed precisely. The Bryansk Disaster Medicine Centre assumed coordination responsibilities and engaged the Federal Disaster Medicine Centre. I, as head of the National Disaster Medicine Service, was informed at 11:07 pm.

Immediately upon receiving the information, full coordination of efforts was organised with the involvement of both the regional healthcare system and Russian Railways resources.

Personnel in the Bryansk Region worked cohesively. In the shortest possible time, Vygonichi Central District Hospital, Bryansk City Hospital, Bryansk Regional Hospital, and the Regional Children’s Hospital were prepared for the wounded and injured. More than 100 medical workers, who were off-duty at home, arrived at their workplaces on personal initiative and as part of the mobilisation reserve, despite it being outside working hours.

Amid night-time conditions, medical personnel worked alongside rescuers to extract victims from the debris, operating in a coordinated manner. Additionally, at temporary holding points, we deployed further emergency teams to provide necessary assistance – both psychological and medical – including to those involved in clearing the debris.

I would like to express profound gratitude to the regional leadership and my colleagues for their high professionalism and dedication in delivering medical aid. I also wish to thank the train crew for providing first aid to the victims.

To reinforce medical facilities in the Bryansk Region, we deployed 17 specialists from federal institutions and the Moscow Healthcare Department. Telemedicine consultations were conducted for all critically injured patients, including three children – with specialists from the Research Institute of Emergency Paediatric Surgery, where I am currently located, as well as the Russian Children’s Clinical Hospital and the Priorov National Medical Research Centre of Traumatology and Orthopaedics.

A total of six victims, including three children, were evacuated to federal clinics and medical institutions in Moscow. A four-month-old infant in critical condition with multiple injuries was transported by air ambulance: initially by an ambulance, followed by helicopter evacuation.

The infant’s condition has now stabilised. His seven-year-old brother was also brought here. I visited them today; all are in stable condition, surrounded by the care and attention of doctors and staff, and are feeling significantly better.

At Kievsky Railway Station in Moscow, arrangements were made to receive passengers, with medical and psychological support also deployed.

Currently, 35 people remain hospitalised, including three children, while 11 are preparing for discharge. There are no critically ill patients at this time. Outpatient care was provided to 29 individuals, including one child. Twenty-nine people have been discharged, and 56 received outpatient treatment.

Taking into account the people who sought medical help later as well, we provided medical help to 127 people in all, including psychological support to family members. The medical institutions treating the victims are fully supplied with medications, medical equipment, and blood.

I am personally monitoring the situation. That concludes my report.

Vladimir Putin: Very well. Thank you very much.

Seated next to you is a children’s doctor who we all know very well. Do you have anything to add to that, Dr Roshal?

President of the Research Institute for Emergency Children’s Surgery and Traumatology Leonid Roshal:

Good afternoon, Mr President and everyone present here.

First of all, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to take part, for the first time, in such a high-level discussion of state matters. I have some years on me, but I still remember everything very clearly. I would like to go back to 2014.

That year, a child – a boy – was brought to our clinic from Donbass. He had injuries to both legs, amputated arms, and eye problems. A very severe case. We issued an appeal to the leaders of the many countries involved asking them to come to Moscow, to sit beside this child – this was in 2014 – and to decide on how to end this war.

Unfortunately, only one person came, Mr President, and that was you. You saw this child firsthand. That was when it all started – not when the special military operation began, but long before that. In other words, we did not start it, and we must always keep it in mind.

The same applies, forgive me, to Crimea. If what has been done had not been done, Russia would have been completely cut off from the Black Sea. It was a forced measure, but a historically justified one.

Unfortunately, we are living in times that require us to be prepared for any turn of events. It is possible that terrorist attacks will continue. We must be united in our desire to achieve peace and victory.

I would like to express my thanks – I see Mr Bastrykin is here – for the help his service and he personally provided when that child was brought in for limb amputation. They played a major role in helping the children recover. Thank you very much.

Many people are holding out a helping hand. During the tragedy in Bryansk, I was in the thick of it and knew exactly what was happening. I was in contact with Bryansk and I must say that the doctors performed excellently there. Just excellently.

Some children were treated at the regional adult hospital, where there’s a pediatric neurosurgery unit, and others were in the regional children’s hospital. The doctors prevented any deterioration in the children’s condition and did everything possible to ensure their recovery.

It is rare to have this opportunity, and I want to say this, Mr President: I have seen many health ministers during my career, and I would not envy the challenges the current one has had to face. First, that terrifying infection the entire country had to cope with, and now what is happening with hostilities. And he is doing a great job. Well done!

Thank you for your attention.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much.

I also remember the boy you mentioned very well. I think his name was Vanya. A truly powerful example.

You mentioned the regional-level response for the victims. I would like Mr Bogomaz to say a few words about it.

Governor of the Bryansk Region Alexander Bogomaz: Good afternoon, Mr President.

I am currently at Bryansk Regional Hospital. Here, passengers of the Klimov–Moscow train who were injured in the terrorist attack by the armed forces of Ukraine are receiving treatment.

Behind me is Yulia, a cardiologist and resident of Nizhny Novgorod. Here is Tatyana, a resident of our Bryansk Region who works at the hospital. Her son is participating in the special military operation, and her condition is satisfactory.

In total, as already mentioned, 127 people sought medical assistance. Unfortunately, seven people were killed. A three-day mourning period has been declared in Bryansk from June 2.

From the time the notification of the terrorist attack was received, an operational headquarters was formed in Bryansk, incorporating all necessary services. Hotlines were set up at the Emergencies Ministry and the Department of Social Protection, where people could inquire about their relatives. As previously stated, emergency medical services worked collectively and in coordination: ambulance teams, hospital doctors, Russian Railways personnel, the Emergencies Ministry, rescuers, and the train passengers themselves.

All evacuation measures were completed within an hour and a half. All the wounded were transported to hospitals in Bryansk. Two temporary accommodation centres were set up for passengers, where doctors and psychologists provided assistance. Those who wished to continue their journey to Moscow were taken by bus to the railway station and departed for Moscow at 5 a.m.

Once all evacuation measures were completed, we immediately began clearing the debris and repairing the railway tracks. Bryansk construction workers, emergency services, railway employees, and the Moscow–Bobruisk Road Administration were involved. All operations were completed in less than 24 hours, and rail traffic resumed at 9:30 p.m. on June 1.

At the very start of the special military operation, the Bryansk Region introduced support measures for civilians who have come under attack, suffered injuries, or lost their lives. Families who have lost a loved one receive 1.5 million rubles, while those who sustained severe injuries receive 600,000 rubles, and those with minor or moderate injuries receive 300,000 rubles. All victims of this terrorist attack will receive these payments.

Mr President, I have personally overseen the situation from the first minutes until today.

This concludes my report.

Vladimir Putin: Very well. Thank you, Mr Bogomaz.

I would like to wish all the victims a speedy recovery, including those in the ward where you are now. All the best!

Mr Belozerov, please report on the restoration progress and payments to the victims and the families of the dead. Under Russian law, this is the responsibility of RZD.

Go ahead, please.

Russian Railways CEO – Chairman of the Executive Board Oleg Belozerov: Mr President, colleagues,

As you know, on May 31, a passenger train collided [with the fallen debris of a bridge] on the Pilshino–Vygonichi section of the railway in the Bryansk Region. As a result, 30 metres of the rail line, a diesel locomotive and three passenger cars were damaged beyond repair. Two sections and one standing pier of the road overpass were completely destroyed.

The relief headquarters were immediately established, with 180 people and 11 vehicles involved directly. Overall, traffic on that section was stopped for approximately 24 hours.

The incident affected the transit of three passenger trains. Two of them were redirected to other railway lines but arrived at their destination on schedule. The third train was redirected to Bryansk, where passengers boarded the buses provided by the Bryansk Region’s administration and were delivered to their destinations.

As of now, trains are moving on that section without any restrictions. The Federal Road Agency (Rosavtodor) promptly organised the repair of the road overpass, which is scheduled to be completed no later than October 1, 2025. Rosavtodor and the administration of the Bryansk Region have coordinated temporary diversion routes.

Regarding the second incident on the Ostapovo-Mikhailovsky Rudnik section in the Kursk Region, 200 people took part in relief efforts. The train route has been diverted to avoid the accident site, and the debris has been removed from the road. Vehicle traffic has resumed there without any restrictions.

The railway line will be fully restored within two months, as we have agreed with the Governor of the Kursk Region, but there is a catch. We must ensure compliance with the requirements for the size of freight vehicles. Traffic will open there no later than August 2. Until then, freight will be delivered in that area via alternative routes, which will not affect the volume of deliveries.

Regarding the third incident, in the Bryansk Region, there were no serious consequences. All the necessary repairs have been completed, and traffic has resumed there in full.

Mr President, as per your instructions, we focused on the incident involving the passenger train in the Bryansk Region and on the provision of assistance to its passengers. Both passengers and railway staff have been affected. As of now, some passengers remain in hospitals, while others have already been discharged.

Russian Railways has established operational interaction with all the affected passengers and their families. We have offered them free transit to Bryansk.

Taking into account the severe emotional and physical condition of the passengers, we immediately dispatched our staff to Bryansk to visit all those injured and hospitalised. We provided assistance in the form of food packages, hygiene supplies and access to essential phone communications.

A decision was made to use Russian Railways’ charitable funds to provide financial support as follows: 2.2 million rubles to the families of the deceased; 1 million rubles to hospitalised passengers with serious injuries; 500,000 rubles to those with moderate or minor injuries; and 100,000 rubles to passengers who sought medical attention. To date, 55 payments have been made, totalling 36.5 million rubles, including five payments to the relatives of deceased passengers.

All passengers who were on the train at the time of the incident are receiving a full refund of their tickets. So far, 354 passengers have already received reimbursement, and the remaining refunds will be processed shortly, taking into account the specifics of how the tickets were purchased.

In addition, further compensation is being provided under the mandatory carrier liability insurance. We have organised direct coordination between the affected passengers and the insurance company. A 24-hour hotline is also in operation for passengers and their families.

Russian Railways employees were also injured in the two incidents. Despite their injuries, the passenger train crew immediately joined Emergencies Ministry personnel in evacuating passengers, including from the damaged and destroyed carriages. All our staff are receiving, and will continue to receive, the necessary support.

Special attention is being given to the family of the train driver, Pavel Mishin, who lost his life.

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the specialists from the Emergencies Ministry, the Health Ministry, the administrations of the Bryansk and Kursk regions, the Defence Ministry and the Transport Ministry. Even our colleagues from Belarusian Railways offered their assistance.

Mr President, I would like to ask you to consider the possibility of formally recognising those directly involved in the response to these incidents, and in particular to commend the actions of the train crew. The train driver remained at his post until the very end, demonstrating personal courage. His actions helped prevent even more tragic consequences.

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you. Ms Golikova, do you have anything to add to what Mr Belozerov has said?

Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova: Mr President, colleagues,

In line with existing procedures, the Government will also provide financial assistance: 1,167,500 rubles to the families of those who lost their lives; 627,000 rubles to individuals who sustained serious or moderate injuries; 313,500 rubles for minor injuries. The relevant government act will be signed shortly.

At the same time, I would like to report that we have already granted survivor pensions to five children of two of the victims. These pensions were issued proactively, without requiring formal applications. Payments will be made as soon as we receive the relevant bank account details or information for payments to be made via postal services.

We have launched dedicated hotlines to provide prompt social support to those affected, and have also organised procedures for processing mandatory workplace accident insurance claims.

Twenty-four individuals covered by mandatory workplace accident insurance were injured while carrying out their professional duties. As mentioned, one person died and 23 sustained injuries.

Commissions have been set up in the Bryansk and Kursk regions to investigate the incidents. As soon as we receive the necessary medical assessments regarding the severity of the injuries, both lump-sum and monthly insurance payments will be arranged. This work is under constant supervision.

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much.

Before we move on to the second part of today’s meeting, I would like to make a few remarks about what we’ve discussed so far.

First and foremost, I ask the Government and regional authorities to take all necessary measures to support the families of those who lost their lives. I also want to personally express my heartfelt condolences to these families.

Support must also be provided to those who were injured – every kind of assistance they require.

I would like to thank the staff of the Emergencies Ministry, Russian Railways and other services for everything you have done to help the people affected by this horrific incident.

The recent explosions on the railways in the Bryansk and Kursk regions certainly qualify as terrorist acts. The decisions to commit such crimes were undoubtedly made at the political level in Ukraine.

What can I say on this matter? It is deeply regrettable, but in all armed conflicts, civilians inevitably bear the brunt. However, what happened in Bryansk, in the Bryansk Region, was a targeted strike against civilians and, under international law, these actions constitute acts of terrorism.

All the crimes perpetrated against civilians, including women and children, ahead of the next round of peace talks in Istanbul that we proposed, were undoubtedly intended to undermine the negotiations. The strike clearly targeted the civilian population.

These actions only confirm our concerns that the already illegitimate Kiev regime, having seized power by force, is steadily evolving into a terrorist organisation – while its sponsors increasingly serve as accomplices to terrorism.

Remember that only recently, Ukrainian officials and their allies dreamed of Russia’s strategic defeat on the battlefield. Today, facing massive losses and retreats across the entire contact line, Kiev’s highest ranks have resorted to terrorist tactics in an attempt to intimidate Russia. In the meantime, they are asking for a 30-day or 60-day ceasefire and a meeting at the top level.

But how can such meetings be possible under the present circumstances? What is there to talk about? Who would even negotiate with a party that resorts to terrorism, with the terrorists themselves? And for what purpose should we encourage them by granting a pause in hostilities, which they would exploit to rearm the regime with Western weapons, continue forced conscription, and prepare for further terrorist attacks like those in the Bryansk and Kursk regions?

As for the matters covered by Mr Lavrov (which we discussed in a separate meeting), in particular, the ranks of our negotiators and the humanitarian pause, according to established international practice, the rank of negotiators is determined by the state they represent. Only highly qualified experts with undisputed authority are competent to assess this matter externally.

What authority can the ringleaders of a thoroughly corrupt and rotten regime possibly have? The entire world is talking about it. And what professional competence could those individuals possibly pride themselves on if their decisions have led the Ukrainian armed forces, for example, to sustain absolutely meaningless and catastrophic losses in the Kursk Region and to continue suffering defeat after defeat on the battlefield?

We are clearly dealing with people who not only lack any significant competence in anything whatsoever but also lack essential political culture, as they allow themselves to make certain remarks and even directly insult those with whom they are trying to reach some sort of agreement.

As for the latest refusal to agree to a two- or three-day humanitarian ceasefire, this is not an isolated incident. While unsurprising, it only reinforces our conviction that the Kiev regime has no genuine interest in peace. For them, peace would almost certainly mean losing power. And it seems that holding on to power is more important to this regime than peace or even the lives of people who they, evidently, do not even consider their own.

I will discuss all the details of this case with other colleagues. I will speak to the Foreign Ministry and members of the defence bloc during the next meeting of the Security Council.

Now to several current matters on today’s agenda. I would like to briefly address the following: first, concerning the Northern Supply Haul system, here is what I would like to request. We need to make timely decisions regarding its financing. I will not go into details now – we deal with this annually – but I ask for particular attention to be paid to this matter. We will return to it shortly. For now, I will limit myself to raising the issue.

Secondly, I have asked Mr Alexander Novak to report on the outcomes of the second Caucasus Investment Forum. However, given my upcoming protocol engagements, I will simply note that contracts worth 206 billion rubles were signed – nearly double the figure for 2024. I will ask Mr Novak to provide me with a more detailed report on this later.

Let us now proceed to the main agenda item. Mr Shadayev will report on ensuring technological sovereignty in communications services.

Mr Minister, you have the floor.

Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media Maksut Shadayev: Good afternoon, Mr President.

We have repeatedly noted that Russia is one of the few nations globally possessing a well-developed ecosystem of domestic internet services – moreover, services that are highly popular and in demand among our population. Allow me to cite some statistics. Nearly 70 percent of Russian users search for information via Yandex, our domestic search engine. In absolute terms, this represents approximately 50 million people daily, while 40 percent of Russian users employ our national browser to access websites. About 80 percent of Russia’s adult population is registered on our domestic social networks, VK and Odnoklassniki, with roughly 60 million people visiting these platforms daily.

Forty million Russian households regularly make purchases through domestic online marketplaces, while 10 million people daily use Russian mobile applications to order taxis or food delivery, among other services.

Our online cinema industry is particularly advanced. Eighty percent of citizens watch films and TV series on Russian streaming platforms – around 15 million viewers daily. Notably, the audience for specifically Russian films and series has grown substantially in recent years. These achievements have been made possible through support measures for the IT sector and mechanisms ensuring fair competition with global players. However, since 2022, we have faced numerous restrictions imposed against our country by foreign digital platforms – the global Big Tech companies, as we refer to them. Many had previously shown limited commitment to full compliance with Russian legislation, but following the commencement of the special military operation, they have frankly adopted an increasingly destructive approach towards Russian users. I will provide several examples.

Foreign app stores have started blocking the mobile applications of our largest banks, aggregators and carriers. They have been removed from the list of apps accessible for download, and our developers’ access to these stores has been blocked as well. In response, VK, acting with Government support, launched a national app store, RuStore, in the summer of 2022. It is available for Android users to download mobile applications.

Mr President, today this Russian app store has been installed on over 80 million devices, and 50 million Russians use it once a month to update their applications. RuStore offers tens of thousands of mobile apps, including foreign ones. For example, Chinese game developers release their games on our app store, where Russian users can download them. The State Duma will soon discuss a draft law which will require mobile device manufacturers to allow the installation of our app store, as is being done in the European Union. We will subsequently monitor compliance with that law.

All of us remember that after the beginning of the special military operation, YouTube, a major video streaming platform, deprived our bloggers of the opportunity to monetise advertisements. Last year, that platform abruptly started to block and delete the channels of our popular figures, including pop stars who have millions of subscribers. As a result, these bloggers and content creators have moved to the Russian platforms of user-generated videos. There are two of them – VK Video and RuTube. We can see that two-thirds of YouTube traffic has shifted to the Russian platforms. Most of them have moved to VK Video, but RuTube is demonstrating considerable progress as well. The audience of VK Video is currently larger, with over 40 million users a day. In other words, we have captured a large part of that traffic.

There are also other examples. For example, when ChatGPT was launched in 2022, it restricted access for Russian users. The owners blocked Russian citizens’ access to their service from the start.

It is good that our developers of language models, such as Yandex and Sber, launched their own competitive models several months later, and these models are as good as ChatGPT in terms of quality. These apps are being used by 95 percent of users in the country, which is very important.

Mr President, I would like to note one very positive fact – after the start of the special military operation, leading domestic digital platforms returned to Russian jurisdiction, came back home, so to speak. True, foreign mobile messaging apps are the most popular with Russian users today, with more than 90 million Russians using them daily. An average user spends about 50 minutes a day on them, which is a significant amount of time. Moreover, their audience has grown by 30 percent over the past three years.

At the same time, there are countries that have their own national messenger apps – Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, and China, and these local apps dominate their markets today.

Recently, Russia’s VK launched a fully domestic messaging app that is in no way inferior to foreign rivals in basic functionality. It uses innovative architecture with embedded machine learning technology. According to numerous reviews, it also has very good voice call quality, better than most foreign counterparts.

Most importantly, it is an open platform that allows external providers to embed their services into the app. For example, banks can implement their services for secure interaction with their clients.

Furthermore, this platform can be used as an additional channel for delivering government services. For example, Russians could use this messenger app to present digital documents in lieu of paper passports for simple routine checks. We have discussed this several times. This can be useful for showing student cards for free admission to museums or presenting driving licences for age verification when buying alcohol or tobacco products, or checking into a hotel.

I would like to emphasise once again that digital documents do not replace paper passports or remove the need for them. However, those who want to and are ready to use digital documents can do so with this mobile app.

The option of signing digital documents may also be added. We have discussed this on multiple occasions as well. It is very important to provide Russian citizens with tools to create electronic signatures.

At present, Russians can use the GosKlyuch app, which generates digital signatures, making them available free of charge. Accordingly, the new messenger app can be used to sign routine documents such as consent to personal data processing or an apartment rental agreement, a car purchase agreement, or whatever paperwork needs to be signed at a dentist’s office. To achieve this, GosKlyuch services can be integrated into the VK messaging app.

Mr President, school chats have become extremely popular in our country. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we launched such a service on the Sferum communication platform, provided by VK. Currently, 35 million users are registered, including schoolers, their parents, and teachers. Daily, more than 90 million people use Russian school chats. Clearly, these chats can now also transition to a Russian messaging app. Moreover, we can integrate functionality allowing users to receive grades or homework assignments directly from the electronic gradebook and diary systems. Currently, people usually take screenshots and send them via messaging apps.

I would also like to remind you, Mr President, that parents still have to write paper notes when their child misses classes for various reasons, filling out and submitting these documents. Naturally, this service could also be implemented in the messaging app.

Furthermore, we have discussed at length how messaging apps serve as a highly convenient channel for accessing government services. We can integrate a digital assistant service that will guide users on eligibility requirements for specific services, submit the necessary documents on their behalf, and provide a digital confirmation of service delivery directly within the messaging app.

Currently, we are conducting technical development of these services. A draft law has been prepared to establish the necessary legal framework for their phased rollout. From this perspective, we are ready.

Vladimir Putin: Good. In this regard, I would like to ask Mr Grigorenko to pay special attention to supporting internet infrastructure in general, because without it, maintaining our own messaging app will be very difficult. That is the first point.

Secondly, and I now address all heads of Government agencies – I ask you to bear in mind and to systematically organise efforts to support the Russian messaging app. To achieve this, services provided by various agencies, financial institutions, and so forth must be transitioned onto this platform. This is extremely important.

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