RUSSIA, June 22 - Mikhail Mishustin: “The government is providing the industry with maximum support. A state programme is being implemented, for which 40.5 billion roubles are being allocated this year, and about the same amount next year. These funds include the upgrade of production facilities and engineering centres and the creation of advanced engines. We subsidise research and development and design efforts in priority areas of the aircraft industry.”

Mikhail Mishustin’s opening remarks

Colleagues, good afternoon.

Before we begin our meeting, a few words about the current date.

June 22 is Day of Memory and Grief in Russia: 82 years ago, the Great Patriotic War broke out. We carefully preserve our history, the history of our fathers, grandfathers, mothers, and grandmothers. And we will always respect the heroic accomplishment of those who defended the country from enemies. Thanks to their courage, heroism, fortitude and boundless valour, Nazism was defeated.

I propose to honour the memory of the heroes.

I declare a moment of silence.

(Moment of silence.)

Please sit down.

The Kazan Aviation Plant, where we are holding our meeting today, made a major contribution to the Great Victory. During the Great Patriotic War, it literally operated around the clock. The plant produced thousands of planes. Their role in combat operations cannot be overestimated.

Now the plant is Russia’s leading enterprise for the design, manufacture and aftersales support of missile carriers and special-purpose airliners. Competent and talented specialists who love their job are working here today, just like in the past.

Today we talked to the plant’s workers and engineers. It is thanks to them that the Tu-214 passenger aircraft are manufactured and the Tu-160 and Tu-22M3 long-range planes are modernised.

Most of the machine-tools used here are domestic made. We also talked at length with the engineers today and saw the new range finders, among other things, the machines which work with fairly large parts and allow for large-scale assembly. The equipment is advanced. The plant implements the most up-to-date technologies and uses Russian raw materials.

We pay great attention to aircraft manufacturing. It is a strategic, backbone industry. The President has set the task of developing domestic aviation, building and operating Russian-made aircraft, which is, of course, especially important given the unprecedented sanctions pressure currently affecting our industry. What is also very important is the safety and comfort of passenger air travel. These are the key issues that we will be discussing today.

More to be porsted soon...