Prime Minister Vladimir Putin surveyed the Kuznechiki residential district, which is being built for servicemen in the city of Podolsk, from a helicopter. Following this, he travelled to the village of Znamya Oktyabrya where the Rodniki residential district is under construction.

In the Rodniki residential district, Mr Putin looked at the information displayed about the course of construction. Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov reported to the prime minister that 40 residential buildings would be commissioned this year in the Kuznechiki residential district and another 20 out of 75 buildings would be ready in 2011. He said that the cost of the project is over 33.6 billion roubles. The project provides for the construction of more than 14,000 flats with a total area of almost one million square meters, as well as the construction of six schools, 13 kindergartens, a number of outpatient clinics and other social facilities.

After reviewing the construction plans of housing for the military, Mr Putin took a walk in the Rodniki residential district. He stopped by one of the recently completed buildings and asked its occupants whether they liked their new flats. "We really like it here. Everything is beautiful," they replied. "What about the quality of construction?" Mr Putin inquired. "It is excellent. We have lived here for a year and there are no cracks or other defects," a resident of the building said with satisfaction.

Suddenly, one of the residents asked the prime minister for his autograph, handing him a miniature kimono and telling him about his plans to start a sambo and judo group.

On the way to the meeting on the progress of housing construction, a woman with a baby in her arms approached Vladimir Putin. Informing Mr Putin that she is an officer's wife, she asked him when similarly comfortable housing would be available for servicemen.

"I just flew over this residential district, not far from here," said Mr Putin, adding that the construction of housing for the military, veterans and other groups was on the agenda for this very meeting.