Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, distinguished veterans,

First of all, I'd like to congratulate you, and all the veterans you represent, in Novorossiysk, throughout Russia, and indeed throughout the former Soviet Union, on this wonderful holiday - the Day of the Victory of the Soviet People in the Great Patriotic War.

This is truly a national holiday that unites us all. I'd like to repeat what is common knowledge anyway - your generation has done a great deal for our Fatherland. You won the war, and did everything to restore our homeland after the war, during very difficult times.

It goes without saying that our society and the state should do everything in their power so that veterans can enjoy honour and respect and lead a dignified life. In this context, I'd like to say that it is our duty to make sure you always feel the moral support of society and the state. I'm deeply convinced that this is necessary, not just for our veterans, but primarily for our society as such, because all citizens of our country should understand and see with their own eyes that our state will never ignore those who work honestly, and, if need be, fight selflessly for the protection of their Fatherland, even placing the greatest sacrifice of all on the altar of common victory - their lives. And, I repeat, this is a powerful lesson for future Russian generations.

In our conversation today, I'd like to tell you about... Anyway, you know what the government is doing on many issues, but I'd like to give you an overall picture of what is being done by the government and the entire country to support veterans.

At present, total material support for people disabled in the war and people who fought in the war and now have disabilities averages 23,300 roubles a month per person. But I think that you yourselves would be interested to know more figures. As of April 1, 2010, there were 4.7 million veterans of the Great Patriotic War and equivalent categories. Out of this number, 474,000 are combat veterans. This is out of 4.7 million! Workers on the home front are the most numerous category with 3.1 million. The number of widows of combat veterans who were killed in action or died is 859,000. There are also 175,000 survivors of the siege of Leningrad and 210,000 former prisoners of ghettos and concentration camps.

Survivors of the siege of Leningrad receive 16,700 roubles per month. I've already said that people disabled in the war and people who fought in the war and now have disabilities receive 23,300 roubles on average. The widows of soldiers killed in action are paid about 17,000 roubles per month on average.

In the run-up to this year's Victory Day, people who participated in the war effort, siege survivors and former underage prisoners of Fascism received a lump sum of 5,000 roubles, while workers of the home front and adult prisoners of camps received 1,000 roubles.

Altogether, we have allocated an additional ten billion roubles from the federal budget for these purposes this year.

The government is paying special attention to medical and health resort services for veterans. There are currently 66 veterans' hospitals and 80 specialised veterans' units in regular hospitals in this country.

In 2010, 419,000 disabled veterans and participants in the Great Patriotic War received extensive preventative medical care. The additional medical supplies programme covered 304,000 people. More than 86,000 combat veterans receive social services at home.

And, finally, I'd like to speak about the housing issue. This has been the main issue in this country for many, many years. As you know, we promised to resolve this problem for those veterans of the Great Patriotic War who registered before March 1, 2005. We have reached this goal. The Krasnodar Territory was the last region to report that it had carried out this objective. We received their report on May 1 of this year.

I assume that there are still some problems, but let me repeat that all regions have officially reported on this issue. Of course, we will verify this, but it seems as if the problem has been resolved - 28,500 veterans have received flats.

As you know, we have promised to provide flats for all veterans of the Great Patriotic War, regardless of whether they registered before March 1, 2005.

I must tell you that we initially estimated this would be about 34,000 people, but after I announced that we would give flats to all veterans, this number increased to 84,300 people. This is a big number. Let me repeat that we have provided flats for 28,500 people, and have promised to provide flats for another 34,000 people, plus an additional 84,300 people. So we have 118,000 people. We have provided flats for 28,500 veterans and still owe them to 118,000 veterans. This is more than a three-fold increase. Out of these "additional" veterans, we have already provided flats for 5,400 people. But as you understand, there is still an enormous amount of work ahead - we will have to do more than three times of what we have already done.

All in all, we allocated 89.2 billion roubles to provide veterans with housing from 2008 to 2010. Is this too much or too little? Well, we just visited the naval base that is under construction, where we plan to spend 92 billion roubles through 2020. Compare this to the 89.2 billion roubles in three years to provide housing to veterans. As you can see, we will spend much more than the money we are spending to build the naval base in Novorossiysk!

But I'd like to repeat that, regardless of all difficulties and the enormous scale of the project, we will finish it, just as we successfully completed our previous goal of providing flats to the veterans who registered before March 1, 2005.

There is only one limitation here. We will allocate additional funds when we adjust the budget this year, and we will allocate as much as will be required. But the limitation boils down to the capacity of our construction industry. Are our construction companies capable of building so many flats? But I'm confident that we will finish 90% of the project this year. Allow me to repeat that this will depend only on the capacities of construction companies.

All the flats provided to veterans will be renovated and equipped with free telephone lines.

In addition, we are simultaneously addressing another important issue. Here with us today is Nikolai Makarov, chief of the General Staff. Mr Makarov knows what we are doing for active service members. It would not be an exaggeration to say we have undertaken simply enormous efforts to provide housing for them.

Not long ago it seemed that the government would never resolve this issue. But we decided in 2006 that we would see this programme to fruition. There were about 90,000 officers on waiting lists as of January 1, 2009. We managed to build and hand over the keys to 45,000 flats to their rightful owners last year. We should finish another 45,000 flats this year. I think we may build even more, around 51,000 or 52,000 flats. So, we will be able to provide permanent housing for all active service members by the end of this year.

There is another category of former service members, those who retired from the armed forces in the early and mid 1990s, before the 2000s. They did not receive flats as they should have according to the law. They were just put on municipal waiting lists. We all know, and veterans know it, too, that these municipal waiting lists move very slowly, especially for service members. Even the most conscientious municipal governments pay attention to the local residents on the waiting lists first. Therefore, I think we can and should speed up the process of providing housing for this category of citizens. We planned to finish this work in late 2012, but I believe that we may resolve this issue in late 2011.

Persons with disabilities and participants in the Great Patriotic War enjoy a number of benefits, including 50% discounts on housing, public utilities and fuel for houses without central heating, as well as free use of suburban railways, for those who chose to use this benefit in-kind, and government-provided public transport passess. The Pension Fund has also decided to provide one-time financial assistance to war veterans for installing gas utilities in individual houses.

We have finished implementing the programme to provide disabled veterans with fee cars. A total of 39,600 people received cars, while another 11,000 chose to receive 100,000 roubles in compensation instead of a car. From May 3 to 12, 2010, all veterans and persons accompanying them will be able to travel by any means of transport free of charge. We will compensate transport companies for their shortfall in revenues from the federal budget - we have set aside one billion roubles for this purpose.

In addition, veterans' public organisations are supported from the federal budget and, I hope, from regional budgets as well. In the run-up to the Victory Day celebrations, large-scale work has been carried out to help veterans with their household chores, including minor repairs, supply of firewood when necessary, and so on.

Many events in celebration of the anniversary have been organised. I am sure that the local authorities in the Krasnodar Territory, particularly in Novorossiysk, a hero city, have paid due attention to this issue.

That is what I wanted to say to begin our conversation - the overall picture of what is being done in this country on this issue. Naturally, I am ready to discuss any question or problem during our meeting. If you know of any problems or anything that needs special attention, please let us discuss them today as well.

Thank you very much.

Please, who would like to speak? Mr Lesik, please.

Vitaly Lesik: Mr Prime Minister, there are special honour guards in the Hero Cities of Stalingrad [now Volgograd] and Sevastopol, but such an honour guard is missing in Novorossiysk. I don't think it's fair...

Vladimir Putin: We have several military officials here today. We could also report this problem to the Minister of Defence and the Commander-in-Chief. Every problem has a solution. Mr Makarov, what do you think?

Nikolai Makarov, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation: There is only one such battalion in Russia; and it's in Moscow. There are no special honour guards in any other Russian city.

Vitaly Lesik: But there is one in Stalingrad...

Nikolai Makarov: We'll certainly consider this issue.

Vladimir Putin: There is no special honour guard in this city, but still there is still a military unit that performs these functions, isn't there?

Nikolai Makarov: These functions are performed by the Novorossiysk garrison on all special occasions. We have had no problems here.

Vitaly Lesik: May I go on?

Vladimir Putin: Of course.

Vitaly Lesik: I wish there'd be basic military training classes at schools. This would be especially relevant, given that the period of military service has been cut, and young people are not taught the basics of military service, which they could learn at basic military training classes.

Vladimir Putin: Mr Lesik, the government is also concerned about the preparations for military service. Now that the period of military service has been reduced, this issue has become even more pressing. We need to consider reviving the Voluntary Association for Assistance for the Armed Forces, the Air Force and the Navy. It could be given a different name, but this work must be carried out at schools and other education institutions.

Nikolai Makarov: We do this sort of thing every year. Thank you again to the soldiers and service members in our armed forces who allow the trips to the training grounds, where high school students undergo weekly training sessions that include both practical and theoretical training.

Vladimir Putin: Is there anyone else who would like to speak? Please.

Grigory Gnoyevoi: Sadly, the history of our country, especially the Soviet Union, has been distorted. I wish there were more history classes in schools. The current school curriculum rushes through the history of the Great Patriotic War in only two classes. It's unthinkable! Such treatment of such an important event, when we're preparing for the 65th anniversary of the Victory! This issue must be resolved somehow.

Vladimir Putin: I fully agree with you. It's not only the number of classes that matters but also what is actually taught and how.

Grigory Gnoyevoi: Exactly.

Vladimir Putin: And we must pay special attention to this issue. I think that you couldn't help but notice that certain attempts are being made to rectify this situation. And you are absolutely correct. We'll fix this. No doubt about it.

Remark: We've just decided to release a number of publications, including the Atlas of the Russian Statehood. We've published two volumes already, including school editions. These books feature the history of our country from the moment of the creation of the Russian State. I think it'll be useful for young people.

Vladimir Putin: We discussed this issue on several occasions. We need to look at what is written in textbooks, where they are published, who funds this publication and for what purpose.

Grigory Gnoyevoi: And one more question, Mr Prime Minister. Our television is infested with filth. And this has a huge negative impact, especially on children and the upcoming generation in general. Television needs to be purged of this filth. You know what I'm talking about. I think you watch TV no less than me.

Vladimir Putin: Less, most likely.

Grigory Gnoyevoi: Yes, I understand you have no time to watch it. Anyway, we ask you to restore order here.

Vladimir Putin: We regularly discuss this issue with the heads of the main channels. The situation is changing. If you have noticed, there are more programmes about the Great Patriotic War and other heroic events from the history of our country.

They were missing eight years ago. We had cheap western programmes. Our channels didn't buy expensive products from the West. Now they've started their own projects, and some of them are really good, from my viewpoint. But I agree it's not enough, we need more.

Mr Brytkov, you're welcome to speak. Please, no need to stand up.

Ivan Brytkov: Well, I've got used to speak standing.

Vladimir Putin: Please, I beg you. Otherwise I'll have to stand up, too.

Ivan Brytkov: No, please don't.

Vladimir Putin: Then sit down, please.

Ivan Brytkov: The thing is this. We have lived in Novorossiysk for twelve years already and have been moving from one rented flat to another. And then finally we received our own, cosy, beautiful and renovated flat. I'd like to express my gratitude to you, to the president, our governor and our mayor.

I'm so deeply moved. My wife and I, we just couldn't step over the threshold when we received the flat. It had everything, including chandeliers and window curtains. Everything was top notch.

Vladimir Putin: Did they provide you with a telephone connection, Mr. Brytkov?

Ivan Brytkov: We had a telephone connection at our previous flat and had it reinstalled in the new one. We now need to register our number somewhere, and they will let keep our old number or give us a new one.

If you have some time, and if it appeals to you, you are welcome to visit our flat. It is just great. Thank you for setting aside the funds. District authorities took an active part as well. Realtors were very helpful, too, so that we did not have to run around searching for these flats.

Everything was done as it should have been done. Please, pass our thanks to Mr Medvedev. And thank you personally, and thanks to Alexander Tkachyov and Vladimir Sinyagovsky (Mayor of Novorossiysk), who are with us today and who have given this honour and joy to us.

We are very grateful. Thank you!

Vladimir Putin: Mr Brytkov, I was glad to hear you use such a modern word as "realtors" so freely, and that the realtors helped.

Ivan Brytkov: We have learned these terms. Realtors took us to various flats to show them to us, to show us where they were located...

Vladimir Putin: You mean, you were even offered a choice?

Ivan Brytkov: Yes, we were. Thank you!

Yekaterina Brytkova: Mr Putin, let me add a few words. We, my husband and I, have been married for 61 years. We registered our marriage in 1949 and recently celebrated our diamond anniversary. Thank you! We are very grateful! We have not expected everyone to be so attentive to us. We will celebrate out 61st wedding anniversary this year. We have resettled from Kazakhstan.

Vladimir Putin: When did you resettle?

Yekaterina Brytkova: In 1997. Our daughter lived here. We visited this city at that time and understand now how beautiful it is. You have noticed its beauty, haven't you?

Vladimir Putin: Yes, it is a very beautiful city.

Yekaterina Brytkova: The city is flourishing. So much is being constructed, everything looks so wealthy, flowers are everywhere. And the monuments! Everything is so great and looks beautiful. Mr Sinyagovksy, his deputies and employees, have done so much...

Vladimir Putin: The park is very beautiful. We just visited it, and it is really nice.

Yekaterina Brytkova: Mr Tkachyov, thank you very much for your help! Please accept my warmest wishes of health and fortune. And happiness!

Alexander Tkachyov: You should thank Mr. Putin.

Yekaterina Brytkova: Mr Putin, thank you, too.

Alexander Tkachyov: What would have happened to us but for Mr Putin?

Ivan Brytkov: So, if you wish to visit us, you're welcome!

Vladimir Putin: Thank you, Mr Brytkov. I would gladly visit each flat (we provided). But 28,000 is too much. Yekaterina Brytkova: And will you visit just our flat?

Vladimir Putin: Just your flat? Okay, I will. Thank you very much. I'll see it with pleasure.

Ivan Litovka: Prime Minister Mr Putin, allow me to introduce myself on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the Victory over Nazi Germany.

I'm a veteran of the Great Patriotic War and the Armed Forces, guards colonel in reserve but this is not all. I was called to arms in 1942 to the Order of Suvorov 395th Taman Red Banner Miners' Division. We were fighting at the Tuapse line of resistance and eventually reached Taman.

I took part in the liberation of the Adygeya Republic, Krasnodar, Kuban villages and farmsteads - Troitskaya and Krymskaya, for instance. I was on the Heroes Hill from the first day to the breakthrough to Taman. I also fought from Kiev to the Carpathians.

I wrote books about the fighting on Kuban and Ukraine "I'm Not Wounded, Nor Awarded," "Cuban Enflamed" and "Legendary Hero City Novotossiysk." Allow me to present to you as a keepsake...

Vladimir Putin: Thank you, Mr Litovka.

Ivan Litovka: ...of the meeting with veterans from Novorossiysk. I wish you health, happiness and success in your government service.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you. When did you start writing books?

Ivan Litovka: I was preparing to write when I was still at the frontline. But I started writing at the initiative of our esteemed Mr Tkachyov. When I wrote my first small book, he persuaded me to write more. I started writing since 2002. It took me more than two years to write this book.

Vladimir Putin: Did you record anything during the war?

Ivan Litovka: No, I didn't. I wrote everything only from memory.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much. I'll read it with pleasure. Please, Mr Zagorodny, go ahead.

Niloai Zagorodny: What you said about the country is being done both in Kuban and in the city. Probably, we are doing even more. At any rate, Hero City Novorossiysk is probably the only city where veterans of the Great Patriotic War are paid 25%. Probably, Novorossiysk is the only city where the soldiers of the recent conscription receive an additional salary of 1,500 roubles during the entire year. Probably, nobody else pays that. Obviously, Mr Tkachev and Mr Sinyagovsky are doing much to support the veteran movement.

When delegations from our entire territory and sometimes from middle Russia come to visit us in summer, we compare what we do and what they do. It is clear that we do a lot more. Credit for this goes...

Vladimir Putin: Mr Zagorodny, credit should go to the veterans and our duty to them must be paid.

Nikolai Zagorodny: I'd like to congratulate you with the great holiday on behalf of our veterans' collective. I wish you health, health and health so that nothing diverts you from taking care of our country and our people. This is your first visit to us and on behalf of our veterans I'd like to present you with a model of a ship "St. Paul," as a keepsake about Hero City Novorossiysk.

Vladimir Putin: It looks great! Thank you very much. Simply super. And who is making those?

Nikolai Zagorodny: They are made here.

Vladimir Putin: By local people?

Nikolai Zagorodny: Yes, our local craftsmen.

Vladimir Putin: It is very beautiful. Thank you so much. I will also send you something special, and I'll do this by all means.