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The meeting included a ceremony to present the Order for Valiant Labour, awarded to the team of the Russian Federal Nuclear Centre – National Research Institute of Experimental Physics. The Head of State presented the Order to the nuclear centre’s Director, Valentin Kostyukov.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Friends, colleagues,

On August 20, 1945 – 80 years ago – a special committee was established in our country to oversee work in the field of atomic energy. Effectively, this date marked the birth of our national nuclear industry. Taking this opportunity, I would like to once again congratulate you – everyone working in Russia’s nuclear sector – on this anniversary. This is a formidable force – nearly half a million people. What is the exact number?

Director General of the Rosatom State Corporation Alexei Likhachev: 420,000.

Vladimir Putin: Nearly half a million.

We bow deeply to the veterans of the industry, to whom we owe our security, a solid technological foundation, and, in essence, our independent, sovereign development. Through their talent and titanic willpower, they created a robust nuclear shield for our country and were the first in the world to harness peaceful nuclear energy for the benefit of the nation and all humanity.

Scientists, workers, and nuclear engineers performed a true feat for the Motherland – those who ventured into the unknown, risking their lives and health to assemble the first nuclear devices, those who built nuclear test sites and power stations, reactors, icebreakers, and submarines.

The entire country, having endured a devastating war, immense losses and destruction, undertook colossal efforts at that time, relying on the scientific, educational, and industrial potential accumulated both in pre-revolutionary Russia and during the Soviet era. Ensuring global nuclear parity became a genuine victory for our entire people.

We take pride in the scientific triumphs of outstanding physicists – Igor Kurchatov, Yuly Khariton, Yakov Zeldovich, Nikolai Semyonov, Andrei Sakharov – and in the energy and inspired labour of those who launched hundreds of new enterprises, research institutes, and design bureaus, forming a unified, unique scientific and industrial complex.

To preserve and expand this great legacy, the Rosatom State Corporation was established in 2007. Sergei Kiriyenko was instrumental in its creation. Thank you, Mr Kiriyenko. This decision propelled the rapid development of Russia’s nuclear industry at this historical stage, already in the 21^st century. Today, Rosatom is a global leader in the construction of new power units, demonstrating the indisputable reliability and environmental safety of domestic nuclear technologies.

Russian nuclear experts were the first to launch serial production of the safest Generation III+ reactors. Now, fundamentally new solutions are being developed – fourth-generation energy systems based on fast neutrons with a closed cycle. This will allow to eliminate radioactive waste and vastly expand the potential of nuclear power.

Thanks to you and your colleagues, Rosatom is at the forefront of creating and implementing cutting-edge technologies, as well as executing major infrastructure projects, including the Northern Sea Route, which will form part of the Trans-Arctic Transport Corridor – from St Petersburg via Murmansk to Vladivostok. Meanwhile, in Obninsk, Kaluga Region, Europe’s largest facility for producing radiopharmaceuticals for diagnosing and treating complex illnesses, including oncological diseases, is under construction.

Quantum computers enable the development of new medicines, vaccines, and materials, as well as the rapid processing of vast amounts of data. Thanks to Rosatom’s efforts, prototypes of such systems with immense computational capabilities have already been assembled in Russia. These will undoubtedly be essential for mega-science facilities, including those being developed at the National Centre for Physics and Mathematics in Sarov – a true hub of future science pioneered by Rosatom.

This forward trajectory is absolutely precise and correct. We must set ambitious goals and strive to take a qualitative leap in developing Russia’s economy and indeed, civilisation as a whole.

First and foremost, this includes work in controlled thermonuclear fusion, initiated in part by the great Yevgeny Velikhov. Thanks to existing groundwork, developments in this field are already being applied to create a spectrum of practical solutions, with Russia positioned at the cutting edge of expertise and technology. These undoubtedly unique advantages must be enhanced through close cooperation with Russia’s leading scientific centres.

Equally fruitful collaboration is needed for another large-scale project: the creation of a space system with a special power plant and a so-called space tug based on a nuclear power unit. Such solutions open fundamentally new prospects for deep space exploration.

Overall, these programmes hold national – and, without exaggeration, global – significance. Colossal in scale, they are designed to strengthen the country’s defence capabilities and sovereignty while crucially expanding opportunities for creativity and self-realisation among talented young people, as well as school and university students who aspire to work in the nuclear industry.

I am utterly convinced that young people and all generations of Rosatom specialists – like your great predecessors – are capable of achieving the most complex objectives, whether civilian or defence-related, where Russia’s nuclear industry is engaged. Let me reiterate: you have proven this through indisputably outstanding results.

Accordingly, in recognition of the industry’s anniversary, over 1,400 Rosatom employees have deservedly received state awards for their substantial contributions to its development.

I will also note that an Executive Order has been signed awarding the title of Hero of Labour of the Russian Federation to Viktor Ignatov, Director of the Kalinin Nuclear Power Plant, and Andrei Karavayev, a lathe operator at the Chepetsk Mechanical Plant.

Today, I am pleased to present the Order for Valiant Labour to the team of the Russian Federal Nuclear Centre – National Research Institute of Experimental Physics, within whose walls we now stand.

Once again, I congratulate all Rosatom employees and veteran workers on this milestone, so significant for our nation and our Fatherland. Let me wish you further success. Thank you.

(Award ceremony.)

Director of the Russian Federal Nuclear Centre – National Research Institute of Experimental Physics Valentin Kostyukov: Mr President.

On behalf of the entire staff and the residents of Sarov, I extend our most sincere gratitude for your high appraisal of our work.

Scientists and experts of the Russian Federal Nuclear Centre assume full responsibility for all assignments, and we will ensure their complete implementation. Thank you.

Alexei Likhachev: Mr President, you have already spent a few hours working here in the Nizhny Novgorod Region, in Sarov, where our country’s nuclear industry was born 80 years ago. We have brought together in this hall not only young people representing the nuclear weapon industry, but also energy industry professionals who are engaged in science and new areas of activity. They look forward to asking you questions, Mr President.

Of course, we have made preparations but allow me to say a few words before starting this incredibly important event.

Mr President, thank you very much for visiting us.

Vladimir Putin: You are welcome.

Do you mind if I address the audience now? They all are smart people, aren’t they? Please do not ask me complicated questions.

Alexei Likhachev: Thank you, Mr President.

I will not be forgiven unless I say a couple of words. You know, we all appreciate and remember, down to the day and the minute, the time you arrived in March 2000 after the election and issued decisions regarding the nuclear weapon and energy industry, issued orders to the enterprises, and introduced wage premiums to essential workers. I cannot but emphasise again the importance of your decision to establish a state corporation.

Our exports are quite a different subject. Not only did you create a support system, Mr President, but you personally act as Rosatom’s chief representative in international negotiations. I have seen you do this many times. And you have made the nuclear policy a priority of Russia’s foreign policy.

Thank you very much. And thank you for stimulating us with your assignments. We have what the famous Ministry of Medium Machine-Building lacked. Machine-building, the Northern Sea Route, materials science, nuclear medicine and many other things have made us stronger in recent years. We really hope they will make our country even stronger.

Thank you very much.

With your permission, let us get down to questions. I know that you never need any moderators or intermediaries when talking to a big audience. Allow me to introduce the first participant in our discussion, representative of peaceful atom Vladimir Kryukov. He works at the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant. Despite his young age, he is building his fourth power plant and is in charge of equipment supplies for the construction of new nuclear power plants.

Vladimir, please.

Vladimir Kryukov: Good afternoon, Mr President.

I feel a little nervous. It is not every day that you get the honour to meet with the President and ask him questions directly.

Vladimir Putin: We come from the same city. Take it easy.

Vladimir Kryukov: Alright, Mr President.

That is true, I started my career at the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant, immediately after graduating. I started as an accountant and now, as Mr Likhachev rightly noted, I am a deputy head of a directorate. Back in 2007 when all this happened, it began with your executive orders to launch the construction of the Leningrad NPP 2 and substitution of capacities, for which we are very grateful.

Currently, Rosatom operates 35 units and 11 nuclear power plants, or some 20 percent of the country’s energy mix. According to the approved master plan, we are to build 38 nuclear power plants by 2042. This will bring us, including as per your instructions, to a 25-percent share of nuclear energy…

Vladimir Putin: In the energy mix.

Vladimir Kryukov: Thank you, Mr President. In our country’s energy mix.

This is an ambitious goal that inspires our team because we highly value your close attention to this industry. Mr Likhachev has already said that. Yet there are several aspects that, at least in my opinion, are important for implementing large investment projects such as the construction of a nuclear power plant. I would say there are three aspects. The first is political will – and we have it thanks to your support. The second is funding. I considered raising this matter but I will not because you have addressed the refinancing rate multiple times, including on television. While realising the circumstances, we look forward to the reduction in the rate.

And the third aspect that we cannot overlook is certainly workforce. We are currently experiencing a shortage of workforce, including engineers and construction workers – especially at the construction site of the third and fourth units of the Leningrad NPP.

Is there a possibility of expanding the number of state-funded places at universities, via a state order, for study programmes relevant to the nuclear industry?

I would like to express my personal deepest respect and on behalf of everybody here as well, for your tangible and intangible support. I believe we would not do without you.

Vladimir Putin: A sacred space is never empty.

As concerns professional training, it is one of the essential areas for any economic sector. The nuclear industry is no exception, I believe. Although it is advisable to start cultivating workforce from kindergarten and school. We need early career guidance. And have dedicated ourselves to achieving this goal — perhaps not so effectively as we wish, but the effectiveness, along with the outcome, have improved lately, evidenced by the fact that this year, schoolchildren taking the National Final School Exam opted for physics, mathematics, chemistry and biology as their main subjects.

The interest in engineering jobs is growing. I have just recently met with the Minister of Science and Education. Our colleagues mentioned that the number of people enrolling for engineering programmes (including those seeking to become engineering instructors) has significantly grown as of late. This is another proof that our work is acquiring tangible dimensions. More should be done, of course — and we will keep on working.

It is odd that there is a shortage of construction workers. I would understand if we lacked niche professionals…

Alexei Likhachev: There is a nationwide shortage of construction workforce. Perhaps, in addition to enrolment targets and a state order for higher education institutions, we also need systemwide solutions to increase the appeal of jobs in construction, design and project development. In the next few years, we anticipate an enormous shortage in nuclear facility construction and other industries alike.

Vladimir Putin: Let’s focus specifically on the needs of the nuclear industry.

Regarding professional training, you are making serious efforts. Our colleagues have just told me that there is an entire international study centre in Obninsk for Russian and foreign students. There are also over 90 backbone higher education institutions, correct?

Alexei Likhachev: Correct. We have over 50 universities in Russia and several dozen partner universities abroad.

Vladimir Putin: All these people will come to work in the nuclear industry. We should consider this again and again.

You know, I have already said that but we must promote engineering in the nuclear industry. I believe there is nothing more interesting than what you do. I am not exaggerating. This is a special line of work based on Einstein’s understanding of how the world works. When asked how he came to this, his answer was somewhat similar: he said he was curious about how the world works. He came to understand atoms, and the rest is history. You belong to this industry. What can be more exciting? What can be more captivating than this work? It is important to promote it and to know how to make it more appealing to young men and women since school.

Speaking of schools, we are developing an entire system for gifted children. This industry certainly consists of talented people with outstanding intellectual abilities. As for general occupations like construction, it is a very noble industry.

If Rosatom has any special tasks or requirements, let’s consider and discuss them. I do not want to go into the shortages in the construction industry and how these gaps are filled right now as it is a matter for another day. We must train our own workforce.

Alexei Likhachev: We have some ideas we would like to present to you.

Vladimir Putin: Alright.

Alexei Likhachev: Mr President, we have received a great many questions from the international community. This is, of course, a key area of interest for us. Thanks in part to your support, we are not only a prominent player on the world stage but are, in fact, the leaders in the global nuclear market. We have a dedicated organisation for this – a kind of “Russian nuclear trade mission” – a network operating across many countries and every continent. And here to represent that network is Yegor Kvyatkovsky, a young man who has already risen to the level of deputy chief trade representative.

So, Yegor, the floor is yours.

Yegor Kvyatkovsky: Mr Likhachev, thank you for that generous introduction. After an introduction like that, I cannot possibly ask a dull question – it will have to be a bold one.

Vladimir Putin: Go ahead.

Yegor Kvyatkovsky: Mr President, I am not a “classical” nuclear specialist – I and a graduate of HSE University. I actually set out to break the stereotype that only technical professionals have a place at Rosatom. I have been in the industry for 15 years now, and my entire career has been focused on promoting Russian nuclear technologies abroad.

Indeed, you have the right picture of our construction projects these days. We are building 22 generating units abroad, with 41 units total in our international portfolio. These are serious numbers that we have worked hard to achieve, and we keep going. Of course, objectively, after 2022, we have reoriented our projects, focusing on cooperation with friendly countries in the Global South, ASEAN and BRICS. We believe these countries are making an enormous leap in energy consumption in the world, creating prospects for us. At the same time, we have no plans to leave the Western markets completely and continue to operate there as well. This requires incredible efforts; it is challenging and we have faced attempts to drive us out of those markets. We are aware of the policy imposed on our partners who are objectively intimidated for cooperating with us. However, we keep going and keep fighting for these markets and we will not subside. I must ask: how do we proceed with building normal relations with the Western world?

We, the people of the nuclear industry, certainly followed your talks with Donald Trump. It is an important development, especially in reference to our international segment. I personally and we all would like to know: in your opinion, Mr President, should we continue fighting for Western clients or should we wait until common sense prevails over political games and we can continue constructive cooperation with our partners? Overall, in which direction will the relations with the United States swing? I think everybody here is really concerned about this matter. Can we build constructive and pragmatic cooperation with our Western partners? Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: You mentioned that since the special military operation began, we have been focused on building ties with partners in friendly countries. But we had those partnerships long before. To be frank, have we actually lost any projects in the so-called unfriendly countries?

As an aside, I would argue there are no unfriendly nations – only unfriendly elites governing them. I can assure you that the people in those countries are still… Well, the propaganda machine is, of course, relentless over there. It brainwashes people into thinking we started this war, conveniently forgetting to mention how it was they who started it back in 2014 by using tanks and aircraft against the civilians in Donbass. That was when the war truly began. Now we are doing everything to end it.

But that is not quite my point. Where does our cooperation lie? With friendly countries. And where did our main orders come from? China, India, Bangladesh. We even launched a new project with Türkiye despite the special military operation – and Türkiye is a NATO member. So what have we actually lost? Finland, that is about it. We are still working in Hungary, for instance, which is both a NATO and an EU member. So that is my first point.

Secondly, we are, in fact, continuing the projects we used to run in the countries you called unfriendly. We still supply nuclear fuel, and in substantial volumes. Do we provide services? We are providing them at almost the same level. We are even seeing new opportunities emerge, especially in fields like nuclear medicine and related areas. So that cooperation essentially continues as before.

It is true that some developments do affect us and disrupt cooperation, particularly in science. But our work with scientists still continues. For example, I recently visited Gatchina – you know, there is a nuclear research centre there. Specialists from European countries are working there, and everyone is perfectly fine with that. These scientists come from various countries, and Russia’s relations with their home countries have certainly fluctuated over different historical periods. Yet, they have always cooperated with us. This was true even during the development of the atomic bomb. Well, we all know – and I will not go into detail now – that many specialists working in the main office in the United States were collaborating with Russia at the very same time. They were not trivial spies in the literal sense; they were not spies at all. They were simply intelligent people who understood that to protect humanity from the genie they were about to let out of the bottle, you had to create a balance. And that is precisely what they were doing by assisting our scientists. Now, our scientists would have invented it anyway, without that support. But those individuals – German, American, and others – acted consciously to help.

That community of intelligent people has never been entirely dismantled, and it never will be. Science – much like sports or art – has a role to unite people. It has always been this way. I am one hundred per cent certain it always will be, and no one will ever succeed in destroying this scientific community.

As for purely pragmatic questions related to business, we have plenty of orders. We are number one in the world today. Rosatom is an absolute leader in global nuclear energy. No company in the world builds so many facilities in general and so many facilities abroad.

I have just said during my remarks that this speaks to the quality of Rosatom projects. This speaks to their safety and sustainability. Another important aspect is that we do not catch our partners on the hook to build something and create a market in order to control it ourselves. We create an industry, train workforce and create opportunities for equipment production and localisation.

You know, experts from our partner countries understand and highly value that. This is why Rosatom’s top management succeeds in building kind, friendly and long-term relations. I am certain it will continue to be so.

Those who are leaving the stage of cooperation with Russia due to political pressure, I am sure, will return. Again, many are working with us and many more will return.

Regarding our relations with the United States, they are at their lowest level since World War II, and I have said it many times. But with President Trump’s arrival, I believe we can see a glimmer at the end of the tunnel. He and I had a very good, constructive and frank discussion in Alaska. Contacts continue between our ministries, agencies and companies. I really hope that the first steps made are just the beginning of a full-scale recovery of Russia-US relations. However, it is not up to us but mainly to our Western partners in the broad sense of this term because the United States is also bound by certain obligations within various associations, including the North Atlantic bloc. This why the next steps depend on the US leadership. I am certain that President Trump’s leadership skills are a good prerequisite for a potential recovery. I hope that we will maintain the pace of cooperation on this platform.

Alexei Likhachev: Thank you very much.

In the international context, not only business and commercial projects are important. Humanitarian cooperation is crucial as well, and we are actively promoting it, including through the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Alexander Kormishin, the director of an international partnerships centre, would like to ask you a question.

Alexander Kormishin: Mr Likhachev, thank you.

Mr President, I am a graduate of MGIMO, and it was as a student that I first became interested in BRICS Youth Energy. After almost a decade of work and seven youth energy summits, we have built an entire dimension of youth energy cooperation among the BRICS countries.

It is important to note that young foreigners see Russia as a global technological and energy leader. I would like to take this unique opportunity to thank you, as it was during Russia’s chairmanship in 2020 that the BRICS countries’ heads of state formally endorsed youth energy cooperation and have supported it ever since. This has been a tremendous source of support for our entire large team.

This accumulated experience is the foundation for my current work at Rosatom, where I am engaged in promoting Russian nuclear energy technologies among young foreign audiences and future leaders. Rest assured that we are passionately fighting for top international talent. A prime example of this effort is the Obninsk Tech project, which unites young and talented allies of the Russian nuclear industry from around the world.

This September, during the global nuclear summit, we will host 100 of the best young professionals in the nuclear industry from approximately 40 countries. Together, we plan to discuss the global challenges on the horizon for 2050.

Mr President, my question is this: what would you identify as the most pressing challenges we face? And which of these should we highlight for the younger generation? If possible, what advice would you give to those of us who are working with young foreign leaders today?

Vladimir Putin: I think you are competent enough to form your own advice for those who ask. As for the challenges, while their forms may change, their essential nature does not really shift from century to century. For a nation like Russia, the paramount – even vital – challenge is the ability to preserve its sovereignty. Now, it is true that there are countries which lack full sovereignty and are perfectly content with that arrangement. In fact, most Western European nations fall into that category today. There are many other countries that may be content with this arrangement – but not Russia. With the loss of sovereignty, Russia would simply cease to exist in its current form; that is absolutely certain. Therefore, to guarantee our existence, ensure our sovereignty, and uphold our development, we must overcome the specific challenges of our time.

Consider the great technological leap made in the Soviet era. It was driven by two major projects: the nuclear and the missile programmes. These ambitious endeavours sparked nationwide cooperation and propelled research across countless scientific fields. We built a nuclear shield – a missile shield. And it is under the protection of that shield that our vast country has grown ever since. Our economy has developed, social progress has been made, and the nation lives on, looking firmly to the future.

What challenges are we facing today? Artificial intelligence. Imagine: new AI-powered technologies emerge in genetics and other industries (you know them better than me) that will determine not only the effectiveness of our economy – and without an effective economy, it is impossible to develop defence, science or any other sector at all. They are closely related. The effectiveness of our economy depends on this, which means our country’s defence capacity and biology in a broader sense depend, too. It is what we should focus on and where we should concentrate our administrative resources and financial capabilities. The education system must be focused on this. These are the challenges we are facing.

You know, I do not want to keep returning to the same point but it is our biggest pain point – everything that is happening at the line of contact. I have just spoken to Rosatom employees who were involved in the military operation and fought heroically – some even sustained grave wounds. What am I saying? I am not exaggerating but every month and certainly every six months, the conditions and methods of combat change. If you fall behind by a few weeks, your losses surge or your advance slows down. It takes only a few months to lose everything.

I will not speak about the significance of different weapons now – what is effective, where and how armoured vehicles have been used, as well as artillery, drones, UAVs, unmanned boats, and so on. But they come up with something every day. We may use something today and the effectiveness surprisingly drops. Why? Because the other side has learned about what we are doing and adjusted its technology within a few weeks. Our usage of modern weapons plunges in effectiveness. We have people who are racking their brains and making respective decisions – and the effectiveness goes up again to 80 or 85 percent. And this is how it changes every day, you see?

We need to calibrate our entire society towards our goals. We must all live in an intellectual environment of science and education. I will not say anything new. Everybody who feels comfortable in this environment must set themselves up for continuous learning, every day. These are the challenges that we are facing and will continue to face. We must realise this.

It is also very important to realise that we can overcome these challenges, and we will.

Alexei Likhachev: Mr President, if I may, I would like to return to our national agenda. The day before yesterday, we held a ceremony to mark the company’s 80^th anniversary, where a nuclear icebreaker captain’s certificate was presented to one of our employees, Marina Starovoitova. The appointment of the first female captain of a nuclear icebreaker made headlines around the world.

We also have with us in this room other young women from Atomflot who are already just a few steps away from that very position. In particular, we have Nina Vdovina, a second mate, who is now exactly two promotions away from achieving that high rank.

Nina, please, the floor is yours.

Nina Vdovina: Thank you very much.

The nuclear industry does not just break ice; it also breaks down stereotypes. I come from a family of sailors. My great-grandfather, my grandfather, and my mother all worked at sea. Today, my brother and I continue this maritime tradition, and I am incredibly proud to be part of the world’s only nuclear icebreaker fleet.

My question concerns global logistics. We have seen a consistent sequence of strategic decisions from you: appointing Rosatom as the operator of the Northern Sea Route to ensure navigation and build Arctic infrastructure, and the transfer of FESCO, the country’s oldest shipping company with vast Arctic experience, to Rosatom’s structure.

Then, in March 2025, you instructed the Government to develop a new route – the Trans-Arctic Transport Corridor – in partnership with Rosatom. We fully appreciate the grand scale and importance of this task. It inspires all of us, especially young people – new employees like us. Today, more and more young women are joining Rosatom. For six years, I myself have been proudly helping develop the Northern Sea Route.

So, Mr President, my question is this: why is the Northern Sea Route so personally significant to you?

Vladimir Putin: It is not just significant to me – it is significant to the nation. The Soviet Union and then Russia have been developing this project for a long time. For how long, Mr Likhachev?

Alexei Likhachev: We have been doing it since 2018.

Vladimir Putin: No, I mean when the Soviet Union began discussing it.

Alexei Likhachev: Actually, the Soviet Union began Arctic expeditions from its very early days.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, that is right, of course. Although the name “Northern Sea Route” had not yet been coined, those were the first expeditions that explored its potential. While those explorations may have had little practical significance at the time, the very possibility of a passage from Arkhangelsk and Murmansk to our eastern borders was already under consideration. Last year, we transported…

Alexei Likhachev: 38 million tonnes.

Vladimir Putin: Almost 39.

Alexei Likhachev: No, 37.8.

Vladimir Putin: Well, almost 38 million tonnes, but it is still an impressive growth.

In view of the climate change – as you know, it is a widely discussed matter – there are reasons to believe, speaking carefully, that the scope of operations may increase drastically due to more active navigation. Even if this does not happen, but we will have the icebreaker fleet that we are building… We have eight nuclear-powered icebreakers. No other country in the world has such a fleet. I believe we plan to build another four icebreakers shortly…

Alexei Likhachev: One is already afloat, another is on the stocks. The decision to build two more is close to finalisation. And the fifth, Lider, is under construction.

Vladimir Putin: I believe it is four including Lider. Mr Likhachev is already casting a line for one more. Alright. We need them anyway, obviously. If we maintain this fleet – and we will – we also have 35 diesel icebreakers, as far as I know. Nobody has such a powerful fleet. The optimal route currently lies through our territorial waters or our special economic zone. This constitutes our competitive advantage. Certainly, it would be simply stupid not to develop this route since a great number of countries are interested in using it. Clearly, it would help reduce the transit times for cargo shipped from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean and the entire Asia-Pacific region – a region developing, as everybody knows, at an incredibly fast pace that the Western world has not imagined. Of course, we will continue, there is no doubt about that.

Furthermore, we should realise, and it is not a secret, that Russia’s defence capacity largely depends on the exploration and use of northern latitudes. I will tell you – there are no secrets here. Our strategic nuclear-powered submarines can navigate below the Arctic Ocean ice and disappear from radars. It is our military advantage. Research in this area is also extremely important to us.

And finally, apart from transport logistics and defence capacity, there is a third aspect. The Arctic zone boasts enormous mineral reserves. Some of our companies already operate there, including Novatek, one of our major LNG producers. Moreover, it cooperates with many partners in Europe and Asia on its Arctic projects. By the way, we are discussing with our US partners the possibility of working together in mineral production, both in the Arctic and Alaska. This being said, nobody has the same advanced technology that we do, which attracts our partners, including in the United States.

The Arctic zone and the Northern Sea Route – along with your work – have colossal prospects and are developing extensively. I wish you success.

I am looking at you. What is your job, your title? A second mate? Fantastic. I thought this young woman is still in school but she is a second mate.

I wish you success.

Alexei Likhachev: Thank you very much.

We know your programme here in Sarov continues after this meeting, and your schedule in Moscow is undoubtedly just as demanding. Mr President, might we perhaps ask for one final question, or possibly two?

Vladimir Putin: Three.

Alexei Likhachev: Three. Sure, great.

In that case, we will take a question from our youngest participant. His name is Vladimir Kuznetsov and he is still a student. He is the leader of the Rosatom Student Community and is already working part-time for the state corporation. He was elected to his role at a major conference, facing stiff competition.

Vladimir, go ahead.

Vladimir Kuznetsov: Good afternoon, Mr President.

I am currently applying for a master’s degree programme at the Moscow Power Engineering Institute and am already working at NIKIET, which is part of the nuclear weapons complex.

Two years ago, Mr Likhachev proposed creating a student council at Rosatom. Since then, we have grown into a large community that includes students from all over the country. We recently held a high-profile сongress in Moscow, where our large and friendly team came together to discuss our visions for the future. Today’s students dream of unlocking their talents and finding their true calling.

I have my own dreams. To be of use to my Motherland is naturally the most important one. Another is to create a large, strong family.

Mr President, I believe many people would be interested in knowing about your dreams. Could you share them with us?

Vladimir Putin: I want you to succeed. This is my job, my goal.

Alexei Likhachev: We cannot overlook this family of nuclear scientists. The Kursk Region, the city of Kurchatov and the Kursk NPP have been on everyone’s lips all this year. I would like to give the floor to Yegor Petrov, from a dynasty of the Kursk NPP leaders.

Yegor Petrov: Mr Likhachev, thank you.

Mr President, good afternoon. Indeed, I come from a dynasty of power engineers and nuclear scientists. My grandfather worked at the Kostroma District Power Plant; my father is in the nuclear industry, and my younger brother works at a nuclear power plant. After graduating from the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute, I also began my career at a nuclear power plant. Now, my son is 11 years old. I recently asked him what he wants to do when he grows up. He said, “I want to work at a nuclear power plant, like my grandfather and my father.” Time will tell, of course, but let’s just say there is every chance he will continue our family tradition.

Mr President, not so long ago, you visited Kurchatov in the Kursk Region. As you know, we are actively building the first energy unit of the Kurskaya NPP 2.

Vladimir Putin: This is really impressive.

Yegor Petrov: I think I will not exaggerate if I say that the construction and launch of the first unit of the Kurskaya NPP 2 are happening in unprecedented conditions. What I mean is that there have not been and, hopefully, there will not be, elsewhere in Russia or the world, other energy units being built during hostilities in the area.

I want to say that I am extremely proud for the team involved in the construction of this energy unit. I am talking about construction workers, the operations staff, the workers of the operating power plant and the plant under construction. All these people did not falter in the face of danger, did not back down and continued working as normal.

Now I can state with certainty that we will launch the first energy unit this year. We plan the launch before the year is out. We are also finishing the main stage of construction at the second energy unit.

Furthermore, Rosatom has launched the construction of the third and fourth energy units for the Kurskaya NPP 2. This means the Kursk Region will have the largest nuclear power plant in Russia in terms of installed nuclear capacity, which equals 4.8 GW.

In this regard, Mr President, I have a request rather than a question. Please consider the possibility of partial redistribution of energy, in view of the new capacities to be launched, in favour of prioritising the development of new industrial capacities in the Kursk Region.

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: I think it is quite logical and should be implemented. I am certain that the Kursk Region will be restored like the other border regions. We will certainly make efforts to support small, medium-sized businesses and large enterprises alike.

The Government is now preparing a programme to restore everything that has been razed or damaged in our border regions: Kursk, Bryansk, and Belgorod. This programme will definitely be put in place. We are, of course, helping residents who cannot yet return to their homes because of the minefields, and we are launching a major effort to change that. We also want to create a favourable and attractive environment for economic activity there. We will certainly consider sourcing part of the required energy from the Kursk nuclear power plant.

Overall, it is interesting to see how the picture is changing. In previous years, over the past decade, the growth rate of electricity consumption was about 1.3 percent, but last year it surged by more than 3 percent.

Alexei Likhachev: By more than 3 percent, I think.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, more than 3 percent. So, until now, nationwide growth was 1.3 percent, and now it exceeds 3 percent, which means the growth rate has more than doubled. This is a strong performance, of course, for the Kursk Region and for the entire border area. We will create the best possible conditions for development there, and a reliable electricity supply is naturally one of them. Using energy from the Kurskaya NPP is an option we will definitely be looking into. Thank you.

Alexei Likhachev: Mr President, I should also add that the employees at our Kurskaya NPP did not just systematically manage the existing facilities and maintain their construction pace without slowing down; they also provided significant assistance to our builders in strengthening the region’s defence capability.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, I am aware – the director has already updated me.

Alexei Likhachev: Yes, Alexander Khinshtein and I are working very actively on this.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, the director told me.

Alexei Likhachev: Of course, they are doing a great job.

Vladimir Putin: Your specialists continued working despite the fighting nearby. Some Rosatom employees even fought on the battlefield, sustaining grave wounds – I have just spoken with them. Rosatom holds a strong, reliable, and deeply honourable place, truly one of the backbones of the Russian state.

Thank you very much.

Alexei Likhachev: Mr President, as per tradition, it would be right to give the final word to our official youth leader, the chair of our large youth council, Maria Zotova. She is a native of Sarov, so it seems all the stars have aligned. Maria, the floor is yours.

Maria Zotova: Good afternoon, Mr President!

Thank you, Mr Likhachev.

Mr President, in fact, I am a third-generation nuclear scientist, born here in Sarov. My parents worked at VNIIEF. Yet, I never dreamed of joining the nuclear industry. I wanted to become a ballerina, and in fact, I pursued ballet for six years.

Vladimir Putin: You look like a ballerina.

Maria Zotova: Thank you.

The combined length of my family’s service in the industry is 72 years. My grandfather was a Chernobyl liquidator, and my father was a tester. That experience inevitably shifted my focus from ballet to a career in the nuclear industry, and I eventually came to Rosatom. Still, I never lost my sense of rhythm: for 14 years, I worked at Afrikantov Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering, where I worked on designing RITM-200 reactor units, the very heart of the icebreaker with which my colleague Nina now conquers the Arctic seas.

Both my professional and youth work have made me reflect on what has always been central to our community: the guiding ideas that nuclear scientists work for. Over the past 80 years, we have seen different periods, and these ideas have evolved, of course. The first generation of our young scientists – Khariton, Flyorov – wanted to preserve peace on Earth.

Later, Igor Kurchatov gave us another guiding principle: that the atom must serve as a worker, not a soldier.

Next, difficult years came. I was very young during perestroika, but I remember how hard life was both for people and enterprises in Sarov: there were no orders, no salaries, and sometimes even food was scarce. Yet my young parents endured it with remarkable dedication and loyalty to their profession: qualities that, I believe, distinguish every nuclear scientist, including those present here. Thanks to that perseverance, the industry survived.

In 2007, you gave us a new guiding idea: to become a global technological leader. And now, all of us – the younger generation – are eager to know: what, do you think, should be the main guiding idea for the nuclear industry in the years to come?

Vladimir Putin: The nuclear industry remains one of the most important spheres of our activity. They are well known to you: defence, science, education, and energy. But its applications are expanding into related fields, such as healthcare, materials science, and many others, where unique expertise and technologies are being applied – all of them are essential, you know this better than anyone.

You know, I believe the most important achievement is not tied to any single industry, though each is of great value. Rather, it is the fact that we have succeeded in building entire sectors of knowledge, production, and technology. These have become one of the foundations of the very existence of the Russian state at this stage of our development. And all of this began 80 years ago. The journey has been immense, the results truly unique. I sincerely congratulate you on these accomplishments and wish you further success.

Thank you very much.

Alexei Likhachev: Thank you.

Colleagues, just ten seconds more. We do not just understand, but rather feel what a huge responsibility and colossal workload Mr President now has on his shoulders. You came to spend with us an entire day, and dedicated your time to us. Thank you very much for this. We will not let you down. Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much.