© Sergei Savostyanov/TASS

February 21 saw the Russian capital city's Gostiny Dvor host Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Message to the Federal Assembly. Among the 1,500 guests invited were State Duma deputies and senators, cabinet officers, presidential administration staff, heads of the Prosecutor General's Office, Constitutional and Supreme Courts, governors, chairmen of the Central Election Committee, Accounts and Civic chambers, representatives of key religious denominations, participants in the special military operation in Ukraine. Notably, journalists from countries unfriendly to Russia have not been accredited to cover Putin's Message this year.

The presidential Address traditionally summarizes results and outlines strategic priorities. This year’s one was the first after Moscow’s special military operation began on February 24, 2022, making it natural that the head of state placed special emphasis on this very issue. Also, he dwelt upon the current situation in economic and social spheres, as well as international relations.

In his opening remarks, Vladimir Putin spoke about the situation that evolved prior to the conflict. In particular, he noted that the West deceived Russia by presenting the Minsk agreements and the Normandy Format as attempts to diplomatically resolve the situation, while helping Ukraine get ready for a war. According to him, NATO has never given up on expanding eastwards, and the West has turned Ukraine into an "anti-Russia" to use it as a battering ram, while refusing to provide our country with security guarantees. Thus, Putin said, it was them who unleashed the war, and Russia is only seeking to stop it.

The Donbass, as the President stressed, has been waiting for us to come to the rescue since 2014. And it finally came. "Step by step, carefully and consistently we will deal with the tasks we have at hand," he said. Discussions on weapons supply began well before February 24, 2022, as well as preparations of the theater of war. In 2014-2015, there were many attempts to attack Donbass, but "everyone pretended that nothing was happening." "They realize it is impossible to defeat Russia on the battlefield and conduct increasingly aggressive information attacks against us. They never stop lying and distorting historical facts as they attack our culture, the Russian Orthodox Church," the head of state noted. The longer the range of the Western systems that will be supplied to Ukraine, the further we will have to move the threat away from our borders.

Then Putin announced a minute of silence, saying: "We are together again, which means that we have become even stronger, and we will do everything in our power to bring back the long-awaited peace to our land and ensure the safety of our people. Our soldiers, our heroes are fighting for this, for their ancestors, for the future of their children and grandchildren, for uniting our people."

Speaking about the special military operation, the head of state reminded that residents of all the Russian regions are now fighting nip and tuck for their homeland on the front line. Further on, Putin stated the need to support its participants, instructing to create a special state fund aimed to help the families of killed and wounded personnel. Every single one of them should have a personal social worker assigned to it. Regular leave of at least 14 days, excluding travel time, should be granted to all the operation participants at least once in six months. According to Putin, every fighter should be able to meet family and spend time with their loved ones. Those who distinguished themselves during their military service are a valuable resource in civilian life and at governments at all levels, the President stressed.

After that, the Russian leader passed on to economic issues, stressing the West’s failed endeavors to overcome Russia. Thus, the country's GDP declined by 2.1% last year, contrary to the dire forecasts. The unemployment rate has dropped to a historic minimum of 3.7%. Agro-industrial production is on the rise — we bow down before the farmers who have harvested a record amount exceeding 150 million tons of grain. The total volume of grain exports will reach 60 million tons — 15 years ago this appeared nothing but a fairy tale, Putin stressed.

According to him, Russia will build new logistics corridors, develop domestic routes and exits to Asia. The state will especially focus on the North-South international corridor, the Trans-Siberian Railway, the Baikal-Amur Railway (BAM), and the Northern Sea Route. The key element of economic sovereignty is freedom of entrepreneurship. “Private businesses have proven their ability to adapt to the changing environment, So, every business initiative aimed at benefiting the country should receive support.” Therefore, a number of criminal law norms as regards the economic elements of crime has to be revised, Putin said.

Amid our strained relations with the West, President Putin could not help dwelling about the state of the country's Armed Forces. According to him, all the components should become as cutting-edge as Russia's nuclear forces that he estimated at 91%. This requires mass production of modern weaponry. The President also recalled the plan for building and developing the Armed Forces, with relevant work underway, to be based on real combat experience.

In conclusion, Vladimir Putin said a thing that caused a vigorous reaction with the audience: Russia is suspending its participation in New START, a strategic arms reduction treaty with the United States, but is not withdrawing from it. Nuclear deterrence agreements should be drawn up with due regard to the nuclear arsenals of France and Great Britain, not just the United States, he argued.

The initial document was negotiated in a disparate environment, amid strengthening mutual trust. Further on, relations between Russia and the United States reached a level excluding adversarial approach to each other. However, later the West itself started erasing the legacy of both Yalta and Potsdam, dismantling security and arms control systems. Present-day USA and NATO make no secret of craving for Russia’s strategic defeat. After that, their representatives should be denied access to our country’s defense facilities. A week ago, the president signed a decree on putting new ground-based strategic complexes on combat duty.

In this part of his speech, Vladimir Putin noted that if the United States tests new types of nuclear weapons, Russia will do the same. "No one must be under any dangerous illusions that global strategic parity can be destroyed," the Russian leader stressed. According to him, the Ministry of Defense and Rosatom have to ensure readiness for nuclear tests.

And here is Vladimir Putin’s closing remarks to the Federal Assembly and the nation: "Russia will respond to any challenges, because we are all one country — one big and united people. We are confident in ourselves and confident in our strength. The truth is with us."