During a visit to the Tamanskaya Brigade Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov had lunch in the mess. The prime minister came to the counter after servicemen and chose pasta with meat, fruit juice and pie for lunch, which he ate at a common table with the soldiers.

Transcript:

Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon. Enjoy your meal.

Remarks: Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: I don’t want to distract you too much from your lunch but I still want to ask you: how many of you are contractors and how many are conscripts?

Reply: There are few contractors among us. Most of us are conscripts.

Vladimir Putin: So, most of you have been conscripted, right?

Reply: Well, officers are under contract. Most of sergeant-majors are also contractors, while soldiers are mainly conscripts.

Vladimir Putin: Do you come from all over the country or mostly from nearby places?

Reply: We come from all parts of the country.

Vladimir Putin: What about your sports training?

Reply: We train three times per day.

Vladimir Putin: And when do you serve?

Reply: We have PT in the morning, an hour of training before and after lunch.

Vladimir Putin: You are a sport unit, aren’t you?

Reply: We train up to five hours per day.

Vladimir Putin: Do you all train at the gyms your minister has shown me?

Reply: Yes, we do have gyms.

Remark: We go skiing in winter.

Vladimir Putin: Do you have skis? Do you have sport uniforms?

Reply: Of course.

Vladimir Putin: Having served here, do any of you want to remain and serve as volunteers under contract?

Reply: We have such plans but we must give them some thought.

Vladimir Putin: So, some of you are thinking about this, right?

Reply: Well, we haven’t yet decided. We want to talk to our parents and get some advice but in general we are thinking about this.

Vladimir Putin: Do you think it is a possibility?

Reply: Yes. Much attention has been paid to military service recently.

Vladimir Putin: And do you know how much a contractor earns today?

Reply: Yes, up to 32,000.

Vladimir Putin: Exactly. Starting this year they earn up to 35,000 – from 25,000 to 35,000 roubles. I want you to know that this is higher than the national average. Last year we had an average salary of 24,000 roubles in the economy, and contractors started receiving from 25,000 to 35,000 roubles last January. Naturally, we will be adjusting these salaries for inflation.

Remark: This is very good for those who come from provincial towns and villages.

Vladimir Putin: I can tell you that far from all people earn 30,000 roubles not only in provincial towns but also in big cities. I have already said this in public (we have just spoken with the minister)…

We must resolve one more issue that I think will be very good for all – we must help those guys (and girls – there are quite a few girls in the army now) that once served in the army… We must help them receive higher education. For instance, we can establish one-year courses that would give them the right to enroll in higher educational institutions without any additional exams. I’m referring to our best universities. I think this would significantly encourage young people to serve in the armed forces.

Far from all the units in this country are like yours. In a way, this is a model unit, but others are gradually approaching this level of quality and combat training, living conditions and athletic training. We have just spoken about contract service. We hope that in six, seven or eight years the army will have about 400,000 volunteers serving under contracts, and perhaps even more.

Remark: The conditions are encouraging. There is now some stability in the army.

Vladimir Putin: I have just seen your rooms. Your living conditions are really good… Six or seven years ago, in 2006-2007, we agreed with the former defence minister on the construction of these modern rooms, primarily for contractors. However, I think we must do something else for them. After all, they are adults and many arrive with families. They need decent service housing. And now the Defence Ministry is going to make this happen – provide service housing where contractors can live comfortably with their families. Or it could pay them money so they could rent accommodation themselves. If they don’t want to rent, they could save this additional allowance and live with their fellow mates in the barracks. In this way they would be able to save some money and use it later. This is what we are thinking about in order to make service in the armed forces even more appealing.

Remark: And more prestigious.

Vladimir Putin: I think if we gradually match the quality of service you have, we will raise its prestige. I’m referring to the level of salaries and revenues, basic pay and easier access to education.

Question: Mr Prime Minister, will the term of service be prolonged?

Vladimir Putin: No. We think… And you see this yourselves…I have also been shown this equipment although it is familiar to me from my frequent visits to defence industry enterprises. Generally speaking, I know this equipment. Now the army is being supplied with it. It is becoming more sophisticated and to operate it personnel must serve longer or come prepared (which is better) to the Armed Forces.

The government can hire more contractors that are better trained. Instead of prolonging the term of service we will try to train young people for the Armed Forces in advance, through the well-known DOSAAF (Voluntary Association for Assistance to Army, Air Force and Navy). We will hire instructors for it and supply it with equipment and so on. We will increase the number of service personnel, notably contractors, through these two ways. And conscription will last 12 months as it does today. What else, guys? Who else wants to ask a question?

Question: Mr Prime Minister! And what about housing for contractors?

Vladimir Putin: We will build service housing for contractors as I’ve already said. Once again – I looked at these rooms. We decided to build them in 2006-2007. You have them but contractors need more than that. We must provide them with decent service housing for adults with children. Let me repeat – if we pay some extra money to service people to enable them to rent flats, they can choose whether they want to use it, save it or take out a mortgage. We will think about this particular case.

Remark: Mr Prime Minister! When the reform was launched and they started building these rooms and switching canteens to civilian catering service, they also raised a question of a five-day service week in the army…

Vladimir Putin: What week?

Reply: A five-day week so that privates serve five days and have days off on Saturdays and Sundays.

Vladimir Putin: This is also possible but we must first understand how we will man our Armed Forces, how many contractors we can hire and how we can enable conscripts to master military professions and the sophisticated equipment that the army is receiving now. But this can be done in principle.

Question: Mr Prime Minister! I’d like to ask you about accessible education, primarily higher education, and not only for contractors but for all those who have done military service. They will be motivated to serve if they know it will be easier to enrol in universities…

Vladimir Putin: I have explained this. I think we should revive the system of courses. In the past we had workers’ faculties. We could establish preparatory courses for those who have served in the armed forces for a certain number of years. These courses would help them continue their education. We will do this soon.

Remark: That’s great.

Vladimir Putin: In this case, all those guys who come to serve will make a real choice. They will know that they will be able to upgrade their skills and receive higher education – and at our best universities. I can honestly say that I haven’t come up with this idea myself. I have talked to teachers and professors of our leading universities. In fact, they proposed this idea to me and they will be happy to go for this. What else? What sports do you do here?

Reply: We ski, run, and do other sports.

Remark: Basketball and football.

Remark: Wrestling.

Remark: We have what you need for sports, there are gyms.

Vladimir Putin: You have good gyms.

Remark: Yes, they are great.

Vladimir Putin: You’ve got two connected gyms, right?

 Remark: We have everything you need for sports and a good uniform and training is a real pleasure.

Remark: The conditions are really good and guys go in for sports not because they have to but also because they want to. They love it and their enthusiasm shows.

Vladimir Putin: And who trains you? Is there an instructor or a coach?

Reply: Yes, we have professional instructors.

Vladimir Putin: In wrestling as well?

Reply: Yes.

Remark: We have competitions. On February 23 we will have a power lifting tournament.

Vladimir Putin: Who will win? Has your commander already appointed the winners? Are your competitions fair?

Reply: Of course they are.

Vladimir Putin: And what bonus does the winner receive? Nothing?

Reply: A certificate, maybe a letter home.

Vladimir Putin: And who is planning to continue education after service?

Reply: I will go to a university after service.

Vladimir Putin: What faculty?

Reply: Law.

Vladimir Putin: And what university?

Reply: I’m from the Ivanovo Region and I will go to Ivanovo State University.

Vladimir Putin: And when do you complete your service?

Reply: In June.

Vladimir Putin: Of this year?

Reply: Yes. The results of the Unified State Exam will still be still valid because I joined the service after 11^th grade and will have a chance to go to a university.

Vladimir Putin: Very well. And why have you chosen law?

Reply: In general, I’m interested in law, history and sociology. I find all these sciences very interesting.

Vladimir Putin: Don’t you regret having gone into the army?

Reply: No. I think this is the duty of every citizen. Our fathers and grandfathers served for three years, then for two and they did a good job. And we serve only one year.

Remark: And why not serve in the army in these conditions?

Vladimir Putin: They served five years in the navy.

Remark: Yes, and this was all right. I think this is the duty of every citizen – we must serve in the army and learn to defend our homeland.

Vladimir Putin: Are relations in your unit normal? No excesses?

Reply: None at all.

Vladimir Putin: Nothing bad? Everything is normal, right?

Reply: We are conscripts for the most part.

Vladimir Putin: Do your parents visit you?

Reply: Of course, they do. The doors are open on Sundays and parents can come if they want to.

Vladimir Putin: They can come any Sunday?

Reply: Yes, they can.

Vladimir Putin: So, Sunday is your day-off?

Remark: Yes, Sunday is a day-off according to the order. In the morning we have mass sport work, and after that we have a day-off. We can watch TV or do sports in the crew’s quarters (we have crew’s quarters on the floor), listen to music or just relax, take a nap.

Vladimir Putin: Do you use the gym on Sundays?

Answer: Those who want to can use it.

Vladimir Putin: Do you hold any competitions?

Answer: Yes, we play football and other outdoor games.

Remark: In the winter, we often ski and hold competitions.

Vladimir Putin: Are you somehow classified according to military specialisations? Do you receive any special training?

Answer: Of course.

Vladimir Putin: What kind of training do you undergo, for example?

Answer: We are tankmen, we deal with tanks. We receive training on tanks and theoretical studies on tank design. We also often have shooting. We shoot from tanks, standard guns, machine guns and Kalashnikovs, and we throw grenades.

Remark: We study theory at the training corps, and practice on shooting grounds.

Remark: All tanks are new…

Vladimir Putin: Upgraded T-72 or T-90?

Answer: T-90.

Question: We also undergo practical training, camouflaging, the rules of firing from the Dragunov sniper rifle, the special sniper rifle and the SV-98. We practise firing and camouflage tactics on special shooting grounds. Mr Prime Minister, may I ask a question?

Vladimir Putin: Go ahead.

Remark: Guard private Goncharov.

Vladimir Putin: Where are you from?

Answer: The Belgorod Region, the village of Rakitnoye. You have already said that you will develop a higher education programme for those who have served. Which programmes will be implemented in the cities to provide jobs for young specialists who have served in the army and have a higher education, or don’t have one but will receive it?

Vladimir Putin: I have already spoken about higher education. I have talked to rectors of a number of our universities and leading institutes – we will create courses for those who want to enter higher educational institutions after serving in the Armed Forces. As for jobs, this depends on the region and its specialisation or economic diversification. I hope that for those who have served in the army and don’t intend to continue their education, the service itself and the particular skills and knowledge acquired during service, particularly in your field – armoured vehicles – will be a great help in searching for and getting a job in this or a related profession. And to aspire to something serious, it will be necessary (if a person doesn’t take advantage of this opportunity to receive higher education)… we are developing a network of lyceums and secondary educational institutions. Certainly, we can think of a sort of system in these institutions that will facilitate receiving additional vocational training for those who have done military service. I suppose you are right. We have to think about it.

Remark: Thank you.

Remark: I believe that employers should better treat those who have already served, as they are more serious and certain about their life.

Vladimir Putin: You see, we cannot recommend business executives (to be more precise, we can recommend it but we cannot make them do anything) to employ a person who have served in the army. But I know many business representatives and top managers, and certainly employers are interested in the people whom they hire. And a good personnel officer always realises that a person who has served in the army is an adult with good discipline who understands what obligations are. He can fight for his rights, but he also fulfils his duties. This is very important. And in fact, it is usually taken into account.

What else, guys?

Question: Mr Prime Minister, may I ask one more question? Private Goncharov. As a person who has already gone through military service, I can’t help asking you a question concerning our fathers and grandfathers. Will benefits for the disabled be returned? Will pensions be increased? What I mean is, some of our fathers fought in trouble spots and they have disabilities. It's an interesting question.

Vladimir Putin: I would like to say that we have increased pensions to all military pensioners by 37.5% starting January 1, 2012. Some of you might have heard about it, though this is hardly the most important thing for you now. There are certain categories of military pensioners, disabled people etc. Certainly, we won’t forget about them either. I repeat: all military pensioners have received a 37.5% increase in their pensions. I know that on the whole, people are satisfied with this situation. We really had a problem when we increased pensions to civil pensioners in 2010 and this increase was considerable – up to 42-45% at once over the course of a year. We have recalculated the rights of those who earned a pension in the Soviet period and thus military pensions drew closer to and even lower than civil pensions. Now we have taken this step for military pensioners. But you seem to be too young to think about such things.

Remark: Our men have parents and grandparents who fall into these categories. That is why we ask.

Vladimir Putin: All right, guys, I would like to wish all the very best. I won’t draw you away from lunch, enjoy your meal!

Remarks: Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: And I congratulate you on the upcoming holiday and wish you happy Defender’s Day!

Remarks: Thank you, Mr Putin. The same to you!

Vladimir Putin: Take care, guys!