Prime Minister Vladimir Putin attends the Vocation awards ceremony, honouring Russia’s best doctors

“A person’s life is the most important indicator we have. In the past five years, life expectancy in Russia has increased by four years. This not a bad figure for five years. I would even say it’s a good figure. Average life expectancy in Russia has now reached 69 years of age. This is to a great extent thanks to your efforts, since Russia’s death rate is falling in response to fundamental factors associated with medical care.”

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin holds negotiations with Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor

During the meeting, Mr Putin said that Russian-Croatian bilateral trade is recovering steadily. He also said that he is sure the flow of Russian tourists to Croatia will increase significantly thanks to visa-free entry from April to October and that the Croatian economy will feel it.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin meets with Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma

"Despite the crisis, trade between our countries grew 7.5% last year, and in the first four months of this year, it grew another 26%. We have many concrete, large-scale projects, and they are all progressing well,” Mr Putin said during the meeting.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visits the Moscow Cultural and Business Centre for Disabled People, familiarises himself with its operations and meets its staff

“I would very much like to see more of these centres, and this is something we will achieve, as in Moscow, with help from the regions, supported by the government of the Russian Federation,” Mr Putin said during his meeting with staff at the cultural and business centre for disabled people.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin attends the international conference “Central Banks and the Development of the World Economy: New Challenges and Prospects,” timed to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the Russian Central Bank

"The Russian people do have confidence in their national currency now. They know they are using a genuine, dependable currency. A stable and convertible rouble gives Russians obvious material advantages as well as more self-respect, if I might say so. Also, people have justified confidence in their banking system. Most of the credit for these improvements must be given to the Central Bank."

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visits Yaroslavl and tours new production facility owned by leading Japanese construction equipment manufacturer Komatsu

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visits Yaroslavl Region pharmaceutical production complex during his working visit to the region

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visits the Avtodizel diesel engine plant in Yaroslaval, inspects plans for the facility’s modernisation and talks with workers

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin tours the Saturn Research & Production Centre in Rybinsk during his visit to the Yaroslavl Region

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting in Rybinsk to discuss the production of next-generation aircraft engines and energy equipment at the Saturn Research & Development Centre

“All social commitments should be fulfilled in full … I’ve said it many times before and I’ll say it again: valuable human resources should not be squandered. These people will be needed to increase production.”