Stopping at a building courtyard, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin got out of his car and walked towards a traditional five-storey building. The prime minister then invited some people standing nearby to join him.

"Why are you standing over there? Join us," the prime minister said to the locals who crowded in the street.

Some kids playing on a bright slide greeted Mr Putin. "A nice playground, isn't it?" the prime minister asked.

A woman asked Vladimir Putin whether the rumours about education fees were true. "Why? This is nonsense! Our Constitution specifies free education," the prime minister answered.

He added that the government will allocate billions of roubles to modernise schools which will free up local budgets to increase teacher salaries. Vladimir Putin said the state would spend 460 billion roubles on healthcare modernisation. The funds will be used, in part, to raise medical workers salaries by a third.

As the prime minister was leaving, a little girl ran up to him and asked, "Mr Putin, can I shake your hand?" Vladimir Putin shook her hand and kissed her on the cheek.