One of the local women asked Prime Minister Vladimir Putin if it was true that the government was planning to do away with its subsidised housing programmes for students. She explained that this was how she had understood a remark by President Dmitry Medvedev during his recent visit to Moscow University's Department of Journalism.
"Nobody meant anything of the kind. We are not planning any reductions, no. On the contrary, our housing assistance for young people will become systematic," Mr Putin said, adding that a special federal programme had been developed towards this end. "Please rest assured that we are not going to take anything away from you," he added.
According to the prime minister, "three conditions are necessary to provide access to affordable housing for university graduates: low-interest mortgages, state subsidies for loan servicing and coverage of the initial loan payment by regional or local authorities."
"Everyone understands perfectly well that [graduates] are just starting off and have no savings to buy themselves a home independently. So we'll expand our programme further, rather than reducing it."
Mr Putin promised that the federal government would be working with regional authorities to make housing even more affordable for young people.
A former policeman told Mr Putin that he had served for 33 years at high-security sites as part of an Interior Ministry unit and now lives in a restricted access community. He said that, as a retired officer, he was eligible for free housing, but after 2005, when the ministry housing waiting lists were eliminated and transferred to municipalities, he was unable to apply for housing.
Mr Putin said that in recent years, the federal government has focused more attention on providing housing to military retirees. "And we may just have left them out of the picture," he said, referring to retired police personnel. The prime minister promised to redress the existing imbalances.
Belgorod Region Governor Yevgeny Savchenko, for his part, pledged assistance in addressing this particular case.
The next question for Mr Putin came from a boy named Dima. He said that like the prime minister, he was practicing judo. "But we have poor conditions for training. Our training sessions take place in a basement," he complained. Mr Putin said that he had also started practicing judo in a basement gym, but pointed out that there was a new sports facility being constructed nearby. He promised he would arrange for Dima and his teammates to get some space there and inquired about the young athlete's favourite judo technique. "It's the forward foot sweep," the boy replied. "You won't believe it, but that's my favourite, too," said Mr Putin. "Will you show me how you do it?" Dima approached confidently and began demonstrating his skills. The prime minister interrupted him, telling him to stop there. Upon leaving, he promised Dima that he would present him with a tatami.