(AGENPARL) - Roma, 20 Marzo 2026 -

Participants in the meeting included Prime
Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office
Anton Vaino, First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Kiriyenko, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Maxim Oreshkin, deputy prime
ministers Tatyana Golikova, Alexander Novak, Alexei Overchuk, Dmitry Patrushev,
Vitaly Savelyev, Marat Khusnullin, Dmitry Chernyshenko, Deputy Prime Minister –
Chief of the Government Staff Dmitry Grigorenko, Deputy Prime Minister –
Plenipotentiary Presidential Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury
Trutnev, Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov, and Finance Minister
Anton Siluanov. Minister of Sport Mikhail Degtyarev, Head of the Republic of Crimea Sergei Aksyonov, Governor of the Federal City of Sevastopol Mikhail
Razvozhayev and Director General of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives
Svetlana Chupsheva were also invited to attend the meeting.

* * *

President of Russia Vladimir Putin:
Colleagues, good afternoon.

First of all, I would like to congratulate you
and all our people on the Day of Crimea’s Reunification with Russia.

Today, our men, our heroes who are taking part
in the special military operation are fighting for this bold and, without
exaggeration, historical choice made by the people of Crimea and Sevastopol in 2014, and today by the people in the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics,
Kherson and Zaporozhye regions to be with their Motherland.

That choice remains firm and unchanged. It is
rooted in the destiny of our Fatherland, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that it can be viewed as one of the defining pillars in its millennial
history, a symbol of the unity, will and cohesion of our multi-ethnic and diverse nation.

Much has been done over the past
years to advance the development of Crimea and Sevastopol. About 1.3 trillion
rubles have been allocated to addressing Crimea’s priority socioeconomic issues
over a period of 12 years.

Transport and engineering
infrastructure, energy supply systems, and industry, education, and healthcare
facilities are being rebuilt, and new ones are being created.

New investment projects are being
implemented in Crimea and Sevastopol with the participation of the state and private businesses. The newly built production facilities manufacture goods that
are in strong demand. High-quality jobs are being created, and wages are
rising. The region’s well-functioning free economic zone, now home to more than
1,600 registered residents, is also making a significant contribution.

I would like the Government to continue paying close attention to advancing these constituent entities of the Federation, strengthening their economic potential and industrial base, and improving the local standard of living.

Today, we are joined live by a number of newly completed and successfully operating projects in Crimea and Sevastopol.

We will begin with an indoor ice
rink in Sevastopol, which will undoubtedly become a leading centre for ice
hockey, figure skating, and other winter sports in this southern region, contributing
to their growing popularity primarily among young athletes, children, and teenagers, who will be able to engage regularly in physical activity.

The next facility we are opening
today is designed to protect the health of the younger generation. I’m
referring to the Federal Children’s Rehabilitation Centre in Yevpatoria. Medical
professionals working in its new buildings equipped with advanced medical
equipment will provide specialised high-tech care to young patients with
diseases of the nervous system, the musculoskeletal system, sensory organs, and other somatic conditions.

We will conclude the videoconference
with the commissioning of upgraded water treatment facilities near the city of Sudak which will significantly reduce the discharge of untreated water and improve the environmental situation, which comes under additional strain during
the summer months, when millions of tourists come to Crimean resorts.

For your information, a total of 27
sewage treatment plants will be built or renovated: 24 in Crimea and three in Sevastopol. Work has been completed on ten sites: eight in Crimea and two in Sevastopol. Construction is underway at 13 sites, and four more are being
designed.

I would like to thank everyone – builders,
workers, and engineers, as well as designers and utilities personnel, and many
other specialists – who were involved in the wide-scale effort to rebuild our
historical regions.

I would also like to take this opportunity
to offer my best wishes to you on the occasion of your professional holiday -Public
Services and Housing and Utilities Workers’ Day – which was marked on March 15.

The well-being and safety of everyone
without exception depend on your daily work, the quality of your performance,
and your responsible approach as you continue to ensure the uninterrupted
supply of water, electricity, and heating to houses and flats, as well as cleanliness and proper order in the streets of Russian urban and rural areas.

Before giving the floor to Mr
Khusnullin who will brief us on these facilities and the current developments
in Crimea and Sevastopol, I suggest we first consider a number of current
issues, as we usually do.

I would also like to invite Minister
of Sport Mikhail Degtyarev to offer a few remarks about the Russian national team’s
performance at the Paralympics and about future plans in high-performance sports.

Mr Degtyarev, the floor is yours.

Minister of Sport Mikhail Degtyarev: Mr President,

The Paralympic Games in Italy held
special significance. For the first time in 12 years, our athletes competed
under the Russian flag. The team was represented in three out of six sports:
cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, and snowboarding. We have not yet been
admitted to wheelchair curling, biathlon, or sledge hockey, and we are
continuing to challenge this in courts.

All six of our Paralympians proved
themselves true heroes. Champions and medallists of the Games included skiers
Varvara Voronchikhina, Ivan Golubkov, Alexei Bugayev, and Anastasia Bagiyan,
together with guide Sergei Sinyakin. They won a total of 12 medals, eight of them gold.

This outcome secured Russia a place
in the top three of the overall team standings, which is a record achievement.
The international press has been abuzz, and the public around the world is
stunned. To put that in perspective, China fielded 70 para-athletes, followed
by the United States with 68. Over 600 athletes in all took part in the Games.
Thanks to these victories, the sporting world is once again becoming accustomed
to the sound of the Russian national anthem.

Sending our six trailblazers was
made possible by two developments. At the General Assembly of the International
Paralympic Committee, which we reported to you on in October last year, the majority of the countries voted for allowing our athletes to compete with their
flag and anthem. The second decision was a Swiss court ruling in a case against
the International Ski and Snowboard Federation. As a result, our skiers were
able to compete in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.

We engaged in a truly uphill battle
to turn these two keys – diplomatic and legal. By the way, thanks to the same
court ruling, our skiers Savely Korostelyov and Darya Nepryayeva were also able
to take part in the Olympic Games.

The atmosphere at the Paralympics was
friendly for the Russian athletes. All competitors showed respect for our
national symbols. A couple of incidents merely demonstrated that troublemakers
are just a big-mouth minority, and everyone is tired of them and prefers to stay
away from them.

Olympic and Paralympic champions and medallists will receive the customary rewards. On your instruction, Mr President,
we are working on an adjustment; the Ministry of Sport has drafted a government
resolution to this end.

Just a brief remark about the high-performance sport. During the Paralympic Games, the International Olympic
Committee responded to calls to suspend Israeli and American athletes in connection with the military actions unleashed by those countries against Iran.
The IOC stated that, in a world shaken by conflicts, disagreements, and tragedies, it firmly believes that sport must remain a beacon of hope and a force uniting the world in peaceful competition. We take these words as signalling a new direction from the new leadership towards restoring the integrity of sport and strengthening the principles of Olympism.

As per your instructions, the Ministry of Sport and the Olympic Committee are gradually restoring our
athletes’ rights. Over the past two years, we have conducted dozens of negotiations with international partners. The IOC has now decided to allow our
young athletes to compete in all international competitions under their own
flag and anthem. Sixteen international federations have already implemented
this decision, and the rest are expected to follow. The Russian flag is now
regularly raised, and the anthem played, at numerous European and world
championships.

In addition, we secured a political
victory at UNESCO during a five-hour vote: we joined the Project Approval
Committee of the Fund for the Elimination of Doping in Sport, defeating the collective West, which had supported Estonia’s candidacy.

Finally, a few figures. More than 70
international federations now allow Russian athletes to compete. Over the past
year, 4,500 athletes received clearance. In 2024, we participated in 20
championships abroad, compared to 49 last year, winning a total of 136 medals.
This year, we plan to take part in more than 60 tournaments.

The main national event this year is
the Spartakiad of the Peoples of Russia for the strongest athletes. Scheduled
for August and September across seven regions, in accordance with the Olympic
Games programme. We expect over 9,000 participants. This tournament will serve
as a test run for the 2028 Los Angeles Games and mark the start of the Olympic
team selection process.

Mr President, on behalf of all our
Paralympians and athletes, I express our gratitude for your steadfast support
and attention.

This concludes my report.

Vladimir Putin: Good.

On the idea of sport as a beacon:
that is true. In Soviet times, there was a magician named Amayak Akopyan, if I recall correctly, whose tricks amazed and delighted everyone. I sincerely hope
that, with the change in leadership at the International Olympic Committee, the IOC will stop playing games and using international sport as a political tool.
Instead, it should embrace the vision of Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of modern Olympism: for sport to unite people, bring the world together, and help
resolve conflicts rather than worsen them. Let us hope that this becomes
reality in the near future.

As for our Paralympic athletes, they
truly achieved something remarkable – it is simply astonishing. You mentioned
60 or 70 athletes representing their respective teams, but our team consisted
of only six athletes competing in three sports. Yet, thanks to their medals –
gold, silver, and bronze – they secured third place overall. It is truly
incredible.

As agreed, I will have the opportunity tomorrow to personally congratulate each of them on this
outstanding achievement. We will see them together tomorrow.

Thank you very much. Let us move on.

(Next, Economic Development Minister Maxim
Reshetnikov spoke at the President’s request about support for small technology
companies, which he described as a driver of the structural adaptation of the economy. There are over 6,500 such companies. Tentative estimates put their
turnover last year at 1.5 trillion rubles. They are operating in 80 regions,
predominantly in the IT sector, artificial intelligence, and the production of medical goods, electronics and equipment (including for the oil and gas
sector), as well as robotics. Director General of the Agency for Strategic
Initiatives Svetlana Chupsheva, who continued on the topic of small tech
companies, reported on the annual competition of Russian brands.

Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin
delivered a report on the main subject
of the meeting. He spoke about the results of the comprehensive socioeconomic
development programme of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol, which was
launched in 2014. Since then, over 760 facilities and projects have been
completed, including 58 in 2025. Another 224 facilities and projects will be
completed by 2030. They have to do with the development of transport
infrastructure, the construction of purification facilities, the renovation and construction of education, healthcare, culture and sports facilities, housing
construction, the creation of a unique cultural cluster on Cape Khrustalny in Sevastopol, the development of the Artek International Children’s Centre, and the completion of the first phase of the Federal Children’s Rehabilitation
Centre in Yevpatoria, a key healthcare facility on the peninsula.

The Deputy Prime Minister also noted the increasing tourist flow in Crimea. In 2025, 7.4 million people spent their holidays
on the peninsula, nearly twice as many as in 2014. Since then, the number of hotel rooms has grown by 130 percent in the Republic of Crimea and by 140
percent in Sevastopol. A marina is being built in Balaklava, a memorial to the Defenders
of Sevastopol and History Boulevard is under construction, and there are plans
to build and renovate nearly 11 kilometres of embankments in the city.

Marat Khusnullin recalled that in 2021, the President instructed to attract at least 1 trillion rubles of extra-budgetary
funds to the region’s economy within four years. Due to the systematic efforts
of the regional team, support measures and socioeconomic development
programmes, the amount of extra-budgetary investment exceeded 1 trillion rubles
in 2025, largely thanks to the establishment of a free economic zone with
130,000 jobs. The region’s tax and non-tax budget revenues have increased fivefold
since 2015. The Deputy Prime Minister emphasised that despite the current
geopolitical situation, problems and the continuing enemy attempts to destabilise the situation with drone attacks, the peninsula is actively
developing. According to him, the socioeconomic development programme has
proved to be effective. Crimea and Sevastopol have set an example for the reunified territories of Donbass, where a similar programme is being
implemented.

Reports were also delivered by Sevastopol
Governor Razvozhayev and Head of the Republic of Crimea Sergei Aksyonov.)

Vladimir Putin: I would like to once again express gratitude
to the head of the Republic of Crimea, Mr Aksyonov, and his large team for their achievements over the past years and for what they are doing now, and for what I am confident they will do in the future to implement all our ambitious
plans for the development of Crimea and Sevastopol, which are actually a unified complex. I hope that our people are also aware of what is taking place on the Crimean Peninsula.

I would also like to congratulate you on today’s event and to wish you
all the best.

Mr Khusnullin, I hope that the Government of the Russian Federation will
continue to work in this sphere just as it has been doing. We will work
together towards the goals we have formulated for ourselves.

I mean that our development objectives in Crimea, Sevastopol and the other historical territories are a vital part of the strategic development
plans for the country as a whole.

I would like to thank everyone and to once again congratulate you on today’s event.

Thank you.

(AGENPARL)