Opening remarks by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin:
A terrible accident at the Raspadskaya mine has claimed the lives of dozens of miners and rescuers. Before we begin, I would like us all to honour their memory. Thank you.
First of all, I would like to offer my sincere condolences to the victims' families. We must make every effort to support the families struck by the tragedy. Let me emphasize that this task is for both the federal and regional authorities, and an absolute responsibility of the mine owners: they should certainly realise that it is their responsibility.
We must also support those injured in the blasts, who are currently being treated at hospitals here and in Moscow. We must spare no effort to ensure that they are nursed back to health.
There is a government decision in place to allocate one million roubles from the Reserve Fund to each victim's family and 200,000 to 400,000 roubles to each of the injured miners. Medical and psychological assistance to the injured and the families of those killed has been taken care of.
The most severely injured miners have been taken to the best hospitals in Moscow for treatment and rehabilitation.
I would like to hear from you today what specific efforts will be made by the Kemerovo Region government, and what the Raspadskaya owners will do. Please keep in mind that the support efforts should be targeted and not be limited to one-off payments.
The blast victims' families should receive help with whatever problems they have - better housing, holidays for their children, schools and further education. If there is a need, we must help members of families who lost their breadwinners to find employment.
I would like to re-emphasise the housing problem. As this is one of the most pressing and complicated problems, the authorities should take it under special control. These families may face difficulties with paying their mortgages and other loans if they have any. We must help them resolve that too. As I have said, housing issues come first. No one should be left out. Not a single person.
We must support the families of miners and rescuers. This process should remain under our constant supervision.
We have agreed with the region's governor that we will be working with each family individually. Please arrange individual meetings. You have enough staff allocated for this mission. Please see that this process goes smoothly.
Relief efforts should be continued, including restoration of power supply and ventilation in the mine. The required equipment and rescue teams have arrived from other cities and regions - Rostov, Moscow, Novosibirsk, Tomsk and Khakassia.
I have just met with the relatives of the victims, and they asked me several important questions. They should get the answers to these questions as soon as possible. It is not just the families of killed miners and rescuers who need these answers; we all need them.
I am ordering a thorough and detailed investigation into the causes of the Raspadskaya accident. The situation at the mine and steps made by specific executives should be studied. We must know what caused this large number of deaths - this enormous tragedy. We must find out how well the required coal-mining technology was observed, how the control systems functioned and what safety policies had been introduced by the Raspadskaya management.
We must know the state the individual safety kits were in, and in what state they are now; how well the rescue works were organised; and how much effort had been made by the supervision and control services responsible for safety at Raspadskaya.
All of the above should be thoroughly studied and analysed, and appropriate conclusions drawn. Let me emphasise that we need more general conclusions, applicable to the entire coal-mining industry, not only to Raspadskaya. This should concern all potentially dangerous industrial facilities. It is important that we make comprehensive decisions which will help prevent such tragedies in the future.
Let us begin. I am giving the floor to First Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov, who heads the commission.
Viktor Zubkov: Mr Putin, ladies and gentlemen. As per your instructions, a government commission has been formed to provide aid to the injured and the families of the deceased. The commission will also assist in dealing with the aftermath of the disaster.
The commission includes myself, as the chairman of the commission; Shoigu, the civil defence minister; Shmatko, the energy minister; Basargin, the minister of regional development; Tatiana Golikova, the healthcare and social development minister; Trutnev, the minister of natural resources and environment; Tsalikov, the first deputy minister of civil defence; Kutyin, the head of the Federal Service for Supervision of Environment, Technology and Nuclear Management; Elkin, the head of the Federal Agency for Technical Regulation and Metrology; Novak, the deputy finance minister; Tuleyev, the governor of the Kemerovo Region; and Ryzhkov and Sokolov, who represent the government of the Russian Federation.
The government commission started working immediately. Many of its members have been here literally since the start of the disaster. In order to start implementing your directive, I chaired a meeting of the government commission in Novokuznetsk this morning at 6:30, where we discussed the most pressing issues with regional officials, the governor and the mayor.
The main question is what actually happened? Why were there such powerful explosions, and what caused them? And, of course, we have no answers to these questions yet. We need to work through and investigate the situation carefully, as you said, in order to ensure that such a thing never happens again, God forbid.
At 8:54 pm on May 8, here at the Raspadskaya mine, there was a methane explosion. At one o'clock on May 9, there was a second explosion, which destroyed the mining installations and aboveground facilities, which we drove past and inspected.
At the time of the explosion, there were 359 people in the mine, 276 of whom were brought to the surface. Nine divisions of mining rescue workers, 54 men, were dispatched for search and rescue efforts.
As of nine in the morning on May 11, 43 people have died, unfortunately. Thirty of them have been identified. Forty-seven people are still missing. Government rescue workers continue to search for these miners and bring them to the surface.
Eighty-eight people were in need of medical attention, 83 of whom were taken to hospital. Six of them were deemed to be in critical condition and were transported on May 10 by plane for treatment at medical facilities in Moscow.
A group of psychologists has been formed to provide counselling, which includes psychologists from the Russian Emergency Ministry and other agencies. The agency has provided individual psychological support to 173 people. This work is ongoing.
The Federal Service for Supervision of Environment, Technology and Nuclear Management has experts continually monitoring the gas situation in the main mine shafts.
The Russian Energy Ministry organised the operations to restore the mine's power supply. I have been informed that the mine's power is already back on.
The Federal Service for Supervision of Environment, Technology and Nuclear Management, together with representatives from various scientific institutions, is investigating the technical causes of the disaster and analysing the results of the gas monitoring. Here, we need to work closely with scientific institutions in order to determine the true cause of the explosion.
As far as the government executive order: as you already said, Mr Putin, this executive order has already been drafted and you have already signed it. Families of the deceased will receive a one-time payment of material aid worth one million roubles for every deceased person, persons with serious bodily injuries will receive 400,000 roubles, and those with minor injuries will receive 200,000 roubles.
I was informed this morning that disaster relief operations currently have enough manpower and funds. This concludes my report.
Vladimir Putin: How many people are there working for us right now, Mr Shoigu?
Sergei Shoigu: Currently, there are 724 personnel working under the Russian disaster relief system and 109 pieces of equipment. Work continues around the clock.
In addition to what Mr Zubkov said, I'd like to mention that we're practically ready to start up the ventilation systems, but in order to do so we still need to conduct a series of tests, which will allow for operations both in the mine shaft itself and here on the surface. I think that we will start forced ventilation of the shaft this afternoon.
As for rescue work overall, 10 divisions of rescue workers are still working. They are searching in all areas where there could still be miners. And 12 miners have been found in the last 24 hours. We're bringing them to the surface. We hope to end all search operations in the next few days if everything goes as planned with the mine ventilation.
Other than that, Mr Putin, all of the necessary resources, including equipment and manpower, are in adequate supply. This includes medicine, rescue workers and miners.
Vladimir Putin: How did it happen that we let people on the surface die?
Sergei Shoigu: Mr Putin, when the second explosion occurred four hours later, the people who had come up from below were in the aboveground facilities. And as the result of this massive explosion, those facilities were completely destroyed. We were able to rescue some people from beneath the debris, but unfortunately some people died beneath the rubble.
Vladimir Putin: What are the rules in this sort of situation? Didn't all of the people leave the mine? Why were they not taken to a safe place? To say the least, this requires additional analysis and appropriate conclusions. Are there any of the mine rescue workers here?
How were the rescue operations organised? Were there any preliminary tests of the air, methane levels and so on?
Mining Rescue Worker: Our operational guidelines, the manual for mine rescue operations and coal industry safety regulations all require rescue workers to immediately assist miners in the mine in the event of a disaster. Therefore, of course, there was no additional analysis of the possibility of another mining explosion event.
Vladimir Putin: What, none at all?
Mining Rescue Worker: At the preliminary stage there was none. In other words, we immediately sent divisions to assist miners. Analysis is to be carried out afterward...
Vladimir Putin: And this is based on some kind of guidelines?
Mining Rescue Worker: Yes, it is based on the manual for mine rescue operations, safety regulations and the emergency response plan, which is reviewed at the mine two times a year and is approved by the mine's management and the management of...
Vladimir Putin: And so you didn't even analyse the possibility of a subsequent explosion? Why are you sending people in there?
Mining Rescue Worker: Analysis is based on air samples collected by the first divisions, which report on the gas situation in the mine. Only these data can be used for analysis. Analysis during normal operations is impossible because there are no warning signs and no excessive gas readings.
In this case, all instruments showed that methane levels were within acceptable limits. The dispatcher recorded all the data for us. Excessive gas levels occurred later, during the collapse after the first explosion. In other words, pockets of accumulated methane occurred. In these cases, we are, of course, obligated to conduct analysis. We just couldn't finish it in time, because the second explosion happened four hours later, when the first rescue teams were already in the mine.
Vladimir Putin: But why did people on the surface die?
Mining Rescue Worker: People who had been brought out of the mines were buried under the rubble of the aboveground facilities...
Vladimir Putin: How long were they in these facilities after returning to the surface?
Mining Rescue Worker: It varies; people were continually being brought out of the mine, but anywhere between two and four hours.
Vladimir Putin: But why weren't they taken to a safe place?
Mining Rescue Worker: People there were involved in the rescue operations. For example, one of the dead rescue workers was carrying out a depression-gas survey in order to analyse air, which is another method used to predict subsequent explosions. Some of the miners were working on restoring the integrity of the aboveground facilities.
Vladimir Putin: So, in your opinion, they had to be there as part of their duties.
Mining Rescue Worker: Yes. This was part of the rescue work...
Vladimir Putin: Okay. Mr Tuleyev, please
Aman Tuleyev: Mr Putin, here is my report. First of all, all of your instructions - you called me in the first hour after the explosion - both organisational and technical, have been fulfilled.
I would particularly like to thank you for the technical assistance. It was timely and helped us considerably in the first hours of the disaster. Here is my report on organisational measures. First, the regional commission is working round the clock. It is chaired by the deputy governor. I have been here since the explosion. Three people have been assigned to help each victim's family, one from the regional administration, another one from the city administration and a doctor. These three people will collect all the necessary documents. The families will have nothing to worry about in this respect.
As for the organisational elements, you gave me an additional task during meetings with the victims' families in Novokuznetsk; you instructed me to organise each family's meeting with the investigators. Bastyrkin (Alexander Bastyrkin, director, Main Investigation Department) will arrive on your instruction to answer any questions the families may have.
These are the organisational measures.
We have a clear-cut reimbursement plan and are informing the families about it. You have recommended that we give the families some time to recover after the funerals, and we think you are right. The commission will review each family's needs. It will ask what is required regarding salaries, allowances and social assistance.
In general, we will pay an average monthly salary to each family's dependents and a three-month salary to each family. In addition, as I have told you, the mine owners will pay each family one million roubles under a collective agreement between the Raspadskaya owners and the regional administration.
Mr Prime Minister, housing is the most difficult problem but we will resolve it, as I have promised you. We will discuss this with each family and determine exactly what each family needs. We will establish which families are living in barracks and which in one-, two- or three-room flats, and which need better housing. We may separate some families, and give separate flats to parents and children. This is the most difficult problem, but we will resolve it.
Everyone will be offered vouchers for health resorts, mostly to the local Borisovskoye resort, as well as to the Belokurikha spa resort (in the Altai Territory). If necessary, children will be given vouchers to resorts in southern Russia.
We have a separate programme for children; I reported this to you and you approved it. We will monitor the children, who must get a good education, through age 23. They will be given grants from the mine owners amounting to an average monthly benefit until they graduate (from a university or a vocational college).
The younger children could be enrolled at cadet schools of the Emergencies Ministry and the Defence Ministry, girls could study at special schools, and the smaller kids will be given places at kindergartens.
Another question that was raised during a meeting with the victims' families in Novokuznetsk concerns loans; many of them have taken out loans. As a woman put it, "We had plans for our lives, for the future." You have issued your instructions to me and we will hold a meeting to ensure that the regional budget is held liable for the loans taken out by the families of the deceased.
This is all I have to say now, Mr Putin.
Vladimir Putin: Mr Tuleyev, all of these efforts must be completely cleansed of bureaucratic obstacles. You have experienced people working on these problems; many of them are former miners and know how it happens. Therefore, you must ensure that everyone wishing to reach you or your deputies will be able to do so. The people asked me at a meeting today: "What should we do? Call the hot line?" The hot line is a means of getting emergency information, but you must ensure direct systematic access for these people.
Aman Tuleyev: We will do it.
Vladimir Putin: Thank you. Ms Golikova (Tatyana Golikova, Minister of Healthcare and Social Development), I am waiting for you to report on the medical effort.
Tatyana Golikova: Mr Prime Minister, participants of the conference. There are 83 people at hospitals; the condition of one of them is extremely serious, eight were seriously injured, nine less so, and the condition of 65 others is satisfactory.
The condition of the injured that were airlifted to Moscow yesterday is serious and moderate; two of them have been connected to ILV systems. We are also using ILV for four people here in Leninsk-Kuznetsky. I should mention that medical standards are very high here in the region, according to our representatives who have visited local hospitals.
There are 54 people in hospitals in Mezhdurechensk; everyone is getting proper assistance and there are no reasons to take them to Moscow. As for the federal hospital in Leninsk-Kuznetsky, it belongs to the Energy Ministry. We have a patient in a very serious condition and four in serious condition there. At this point, there is no reason to take them to Moscow. We will monitor the situation and will move them to Moscow if the doctors say it's necessary.
Vladimir Putin: Good. Is Mr Podgorny (Ilya Podgorny, a special investigator from the Investigation Committee at the Prosecutor General's Office) here? Have you organised your work properly? Mr Bastyrkin will be here today; he is taking off at 11 a.m. Now tell me, how have you organised your work?
Ilya Podgorny: The case has been opened by the Main Investigation Department of the Investigation Committee at the Prosecutor General's Office. We have set up a group of 18 investigators who are working with three prosecutors from the Main Department of Criminology and criminology professionals from the Investigation Department of the Kemerovo Region.
We have compiled an action plan, which is constantly being updated, and have delineated specific tasks for the investigators. They are proceeding in the identification of the bodies; we have also approved medical examinations for the injured to diagnose any damage done to their health and for the deceased to establish the cause of death.
We have organised the release of the bodies to their relatives. Relatives and other people injured in the accident have been declared victims.
Our main goal is to complete the identification of the bodies as soon as possible and to release them to their relatives for burial.
Investigators cannot go down into the mine at this point to inspect the accident site because the rescue operation is still under way.
Some investigators are working with experts from the Federal Service for Supervision of Environment, Technology and Nuclear Management, and are interviewing those who have information of interest to them.
We are still trying to identify the victims; a group of investigators are currently in the mortuary inspecting and identifying the bodies for subsequent release to their relatives.
Vladimir Putin: Mr Podgorny, here is what I want to tell you. Your main goal is to determine the cause of the accident, not the technical work you mentioned, although it is an important and necessary element. But your main goal is to establish the reason for the catastrophe. You should focus your attention on the technical equipment, in particular the miners' individual rescue systems. A design defect is one thing; they are the same everywhere in the world, but what about maintenance? What was it then and what is it now? Were technical specifications maintained? What else was done to improve safety in the mine? How well has the rescue effort been organised? This is what you should focus on.
Ilya Podgorny: I see.
Vladimir Putin: Thank you, everyone.