Vladimir Putin's opening remarks:

Good afternoon.

We have gathered here to discuss some issues of a social nature. Since December of last year, a series of decisions have been adopted on social affairs, linked both with our planned actions and developments in the crisis in global finance and economics.

In December of last year, a decision was made to increase the budgeted wage bill for federal employees by 30%. Since the start of the year we have twice indexed pensions, their basic and non-funded parts. We have also raised all welfare benefits, including unemployment benefits, childcare grants, grants to Chernobyl victims and to some other groups of people.

Today we are due to take another important decision, one which will concern Defence Ministry military personnel and groups of Russian citizens with an equated status. This measure will affect about 2.8 million people, and, including family members, almost 7 million. What is meant by this?

From August 1, we are indexing money allowances for military personnel by 8.5%. Remembering that military pensions, in accordance with the law, are directly pinned to money allowances for military personnel, they will be raised as well.

We have already announced that in 2010 all groups of citizens will have their pensions substantially increased. Next year, we will have to take additional decisions with regard to military retirees, to ensure social justice in that sphere. But we will talk about that later today.

With respect to military personnel, the indexing will imply that a lieutenant commanding a platoon will be receiving just over 17,000 roubles a month, and, together with district pay differentials - or rather personnel qualified for such differentials - 23,500 roubles. A lieutenant colonel commanding a battalion will be receiving, without differentials, 22,300 roubles and, with wage differentials, about 30,700 roubles, a little more.

I request that the Finance Ministry allocate the necessary funds.

"Today we are due to take another important decision, one which will concern Defence Ministry military personnel and groups of Russian citizens with an equated status. This measure will affect about 2.8 million people, and, including family members, almost 7 million. What is meant by this? From August 1, we are indexing money allowances for military personnel by 8.5%."