Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visits Gazprom’s VNIIGaz research institute, views latest developments in gas industry

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin holds a working meeting with the Governor of Moscow Region Boris Gromov

During the meeting Prime Minister Vladimir Putin asked Boris Gromov to submit peat bog irrigation proposals to the government. The prime minister also noted that Russian regional heads would receive broader supervisory rights and administrative supervision powers following a resolution signed by the prime minister on August 3. “This will allow governors to get everything that is happening in the forests under tighter administrative control,” Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin meets with residents of the village of Mokhovoye, Lukhovitsy district, Moscow Region, who have been affected by the fires

Vladimir Putin assured everyone who has been left homeless by the fires that their new homes would be better than their old ones.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting of the Government Commission on High Technology and Innovations at the Gazprom VNIIGAZ research institute for natural gas and gas technologies

It’s not enough to mimic others’ experience or others’ models. That will mean we always lag behind. We have to come up with new products and hit an entirely new level. Simultaneously, it is vital that we improve management practices in innovative companies, and that we link the wages of their executives and managers with the end results achieved in terms of innovative development.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin holds a conference call on the clean-up and reconstruction work following the accident at the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydropower station

"I would like to say that despite the grave consequences of the accident, we managed to avoid the worst-case scenario. And this was due to the station’s employees and specialists from the Emergencies Ministry acting professionally, bravely and decisively. I have recently signed an executive order to award a group of employees at the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydropower station, to whom we largely owe the fact that the station was saved, with Russian Government Certificates of Honour."

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin holds a meeting to discuss measures for preventing and fighting fires, helping fire victims and reconstructing social infrastructure

“Protecting communities from the fires remains our main task. We will rebuild houses and replant trees anyway, but the most important thing is people’s lives and health.”

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin meets with Chairman of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions Mikhail Shmakov

During the meeting Prime Minister Vladimir Putin agreed with the opinion of Chairman of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions Mikhail Shmakov on the need to extend the programme of supporting employment in the regions and shift the emphasis to retraining workers. “We must put more funds into retraining workers and preparing people for new professions,” Mr Putin said.