Pravda.ru / Russia

President of Russia Vladimir Putin took part in a meeting of the Defense Ministry board, where he delivered a wide-ranging address focused on the military operation in Ukraine, the state of Russia's armed forces, and the broader geopolitical environment. Ukraine, the West, and the Myth of a Big War The Russian leader described the current international situation as tense but rejected claims by Western politicians that Europe faces an inevitable large-scale war with Russia. "In Europe, people are being fed fears about an unavoidable clash with Russia, about the need to prepare for a big war. This is a lie and pure nonsense,”

Russia’s state debt increased by 2.8 percent between January and October 2025, reaching 32.9 trillion rubles, according to data released by the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation. While the absolute number appears substantial, the pace of growth remains moderate and notably lower than earlier preliminary estimates. An operational report from the Accounts Chamber had previously indicated a ten percent rise in public debt between January and September, bringing the total to 31.98 trillion rubles. The discrepancy between the two estimates is largely explained by statistical adjustments and the clarification of debt parameters as of early November. Updated accounting methods and revised data on obligations resulted in a more restrained assessment of the annual increase.

President Vladimir Putin has proposed new measures to counteract Russia’s declining birth rate, calling for stronger support for fatherhood and more incentives for families with multiple children. The proposal came during a meeting of the Presidential Council for Strategic Development and National Projects, where the president devoted significant attention to the need to increase the nation’s population. Why Russia’s Birth Rate Continues to Fall According to Putin, the decline is driven by several objective factors. These include global demographic trends, the long-term impact of population “craters” formed in the mid and late twentieth century, and broader external pressures. The president noted that some regions have shown improved attitudes toward having children, particularly the Mordovia, Altai Republic, Kabardino-Balkaria, as well as the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions.

The Kremlin confirmed that President Vladimir Putin’s meeting with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner lasted nearly five hours, marking one of the most detailed exchanges to date on Washington’s evolving peace proposals for Ukraine. Ushakov Outlines Scope of the Negotiations According to presidential aide Yury Ushakov, the talks examined several possible frameworks for a settlement. He revealed that Moscow received four additional documents from the American side, supplementing the initial 28-point plan earlier presented on behalf of President Donald Trump. “There was a document of twenty-seven points. We reviewed it, of course, though we did not work on the formulations and held no discussions on that level,” Ushakov explained. These new materials were then analyzed during the Kremlin meeting with Witkoff and Kushner, alongside broader strategic questions, including territorial issues. Ushakov described the atmosphere as constructive, useful and highly substantive, adding that the session focused on the essence of the U.S. proposals rather than on finalized wording.

Preparations for potential nuclear testing can be completed swiftly, as the test site on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago in Arkhangelsk Region is fully ready, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov told President Vladimir Putin during a Security Council meeting, according to the Kremlin press service. Defense Ministry Calls for Swift Readiness Belousov proposed initiating preparations for nuclear testing in response to U.S. actions. “The readiness of the Central Test Range on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago allows us to carry it out in a short time,” he said. The test site’s commander, Andrei Sinitsyn, had already declared its operational readiness for renewed nuclear testing a year earlier.

Russia has officially withdrawn from its plutonium disposal agreement with the United States, completing a process that began when the treaty was suspended in 2016. President Vladimir Putin signed the decree on October 27, following prior approval from the State Duma and the government. US Fails to Fulfill Its Part of the Treaty The 2000 agreement between Russia and the US aimed to dispose of 34 tons of plutonium from dismantled nuclear warheads under the START I framework. The plan involved converting plutonium into MOX fuel for use in energy reactors, a method designed to make the material irreversibly civilian. Russia fulfilled its obligations by building a MOX fuel plant in Zheleznogorsk and commissioning the BN-800 reactor at the Beloyarsk nuclear power plant. In contrast, the US halted construction of the MFFF plant at Savannah River due to alleged financial constraints. This led Russia to suspend the agreement in 2016.

Russia is preparing to gradually withdraw Visa and Mastercard cards from circulation following the expiration of their security certificates in early 2025. Financial institutions must first agree on alternative payment solutions before submitting proposals to the Central Bank for review. Expired Certificates Raise Security Risks The head of the National Payment Card System (NSPK), Dmitry Dubynin, explained that the security certificates for all Visa and Mastercard cards in Russia expired on January 1, 2025. He warned that using such cards under current conditions poses security risks, as expired certificates directly affect the safety of financial operations. “It is advisable to begin gradually withdrawing these cards from circulation,” said Dubynin. “However, before proceeding, the market must develop a common position and determine suitable alternatives to Visa and Mastercard.” Once consensus is reached, the proposals will be submitted to the Central Bank for consideration, he added.

Nuclear energy has become one of Russia’s most powerful tools of “soft power,” and the country demonstrated its technological leadership at the World Atomic Week forum held on September 25 in Moscow at the Atom Museum at VDNH. Russia to Power the New Technological Era The event began with the ceremonial dispatch of the latest VVER-1200 reactor vessels — one destined for Unit 1 of Egypt’s El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant and another for Unit 4 of Turkey’s Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant. The shipments were broadcast live across Russia. In the presence of IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, World Nuclear Association head Sama Bilbao y León, as well as leaders of Armenia, Belarus, and other nations, Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a keynote address. He reminded attendees that the Soviet atomic program was born on September 28, 1942, during the Battle of Stalingrad, when the State Defense Committee decided to launch uranium research.

Russia possesses a powerful nuclear triad, which includes land-based, sea-based, and air-based nuclear forces. This triad ensures the ability to launch a retaliatory strike even after a massive enemy attack, thanks to its strategic dispersion across silos, mobile launchers, and submarines. What Is Nuclear Weaponry? Nuclear weapons are weapons of mass destruction that harness the energy of nuclear reactions — either fission (like uranium or plutonium) or fusion (as in hydrogen bombs). Their destructive power is immense; a single warhead can level an entire city. Main Types of Russian Nuclear Weapons 1. Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs)

Vladimir Putin, aboard the Arkhangelsk nuclear-powered submarine, made several warnings to those who sought to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia. Putin Confident in the Defeat of the Ukrainian Armed Forces During his visit to the Murmansk region, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces Vladimir Putin warned Ukraine that its military formations would be destroyed. "I recently said that we will squeeze them out, but now there is reason to believe that we will finish them off," Putin stated, emphasizing that the Russian Armed Forces are "gradually, persistently, and confidently advancing toward achieving all the goals declared at the start of the special military operation."

In recent years, Russia has been under significant external pressure, facing economic sanctions and a large-scale information campaign aimed at discrediting the country. Strategic Shift Toward Gold In response to these challenges, the Russian government has made a strategic decision to rely on gold as a key instrument to protect the economy. According to the latest data from the Central Bank of Russia, the value of the country’s gold reserves increased by 5.3% in February, reaching $217.4 billion.

Russian authorities have detained Vadim Moshkovich, the founder of the Rusagro holding company, former senator from the Belgorod region, and dollar billionaire. Moshkovich had attempted to distance himself from Russian President Vladimir Putin following the start of the special military operation in Ukraine and the personal sanctions imposed against him. Suspected of Large-Scale Fraud and Asset Seizure According to preliminary reports, Moshkovich is suspected of large-scale fraud and seizing the assets of another major holding company. A criminal case has reportedly already been opened. Investigative actions are being carried out against Moshkovich as part of a case under Part 4 of Article 159 of the Russian Criminal Code (fraud on an especially large scale). His legal status in the case has not yet been disclosed.

Vladimir Putin instructed the government to develop a procedure for coordinating the return of foreign companies that previously left Russia. He emphasized that the process should be as transparent as possible, ensuring that domestic producers retain certain advantages. Speaking at the Congress of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, Putin noted that some companies sold their businesses at a discount, but when returning to Russia, they should not be allowed to buy them back at the same low price. "This should not happen, and it cannot happen," the president said.

Russia's pipeline natural gas exports could see a significant increase, reaching approximately 240 billion cubic meters per year. This means that supply volumes could not only double compared to current levels but also surpass the highest figures recorded in previous years. These conclusions stem from a statement by Pavel Zavalny, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Energy. Speaking at the XXII International Forum Gas Russia 2025, Zavalny noted that such export growth would be possible if the current level of demand for Russian gas on international markets is maintained.

The Russian Army will receive a number of new arms systems in 2025, including a nuclear submarine with ballistic missiles and new strategic bombers. According to Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, the ordnance delivery schedule for 2025 has been finalised. Tu-160 strategic bombers The Russian Aerospace Forces will receive four Tupolev Tu-160M ​​strategic bombers in 2025. The Tu-160M missile-carrying aircraft are part of the air component of Russia's nuclear triad. They are also capable of carrying missiles with non-nuclear warheads. During the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia used the Tu-160 to launch the Kh-101 and Kh-555 cruise missiles. The basic version of the Tu-160 with a variable-sweep wing has four NK-32 engines, which provide a maximum flight speed of up to 2,230 kilometers per hour. The Tu-160 can carry 45 tons of combat load. Internal compartments of the missile carrier can accommodate 12 Kh-101 missiles. The modernized version of the aircraft will be superior to its original version in all respects.

Russia's gold reserves reached a new record in August as they amounted to $188.8 billion. Their share in international assets exceeded 30 percent for the first time in almost 25 years, the Central Bank of Russia said. As of September 1, 2024, Russia's international reserves grew to $613.7 billion, up from $602.05 billion as of August 1. In August, Russia increased its gold investments by 5.1 percent, bringing them to a record $188.8 billion. The previous record was set a month earlier at $179.5 billion.

By nominating a civilian such as Andrei Belousov for the post of the Defence Minister, Vladimir Putin continued the tradition that had developed during his service. General Sergei Ivanov was the first minister appointed by Putin. Ivanov came from intelligence (he headed the military department from 2001 to 2007), and was replaced (under President Dmitry Medvedev) by the former chief tax officer Anatoly Serdyukov. Serdyukov served at the post for five years. Sergei Shoigu, a civil engineer by training and the founder of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, chaired the Defence Ministry in 2012 (he left the post of the Moscow region governor). Andrei Belousov is 65 years old. He has been associated with economics all his life. After graduating from the Department of Economics of the Moscow State University, he took up scientific activities — first at the Central Institute of Economics and Mathematics of the USSR Academy of Sciences, then at the Institute of Economics and Forecasting of Scientific and Technological Progress of the USSR Academy of Sciences. In 1990-2006, he served as a senior researcher and head of a laboratory at the Institute of Economic Forecasting of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Andrei Belousov, who held the position of First Deputy Head of the Cabinet of Ministers, will now become Russia's new Defence Minister. The Federation Council will discuss his candidacy on May 13 and 14. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that it was important to integrate the economy of the power bloc into the country's economy so that it meets the dynamics of the current moment. "The one who is more open to innovation wins on the battlefield," Peskov said. "The Ministry of Defence must be absolutely open to innovation, to all advanced ideas the purpose of economic competitiveness. Apparently, this is why the president picked the candidacy of Andrei Removich Belousov," he noted.

Timur Ivanov, Russian Deputy Defence Minister, was arrested on April 23 in the case of bribery. He will remain in custody before June 2024. A Moscow court sent Deputy Defence Minister Timur Ivanov to a pre-trial detention centre. He was arrested for two months, until June 23. Ivanov was charged under Part 6 of Art. 290 of the Criminal Code (receiving a bribe on an especially large scale). According to investigators, Ivanov entered into a "criminal conspiracy with third parties to commit a crime and received a large bribe in the form of property services provided during contracting and subcontracting works for the needs of the Defence Ministry.”

The monstrous terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall in Russia triggered discussions about the need to reinstate death penalty in the country. It is the legal side of the issue that is being discussed, since the moratorium was established by the Constitutional Court. Russian officials believe that the moratorium on the death penalty that was introduced in Russia in 1996 in connection with the entry into the Council of Europe should be suspended. State Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin believes that there is no need for any referendum here — it would only be enough for the Constitutional Court to lift it. Lawyers believe executions will return to Russia Experts maintain that according to the Constitutional Court's clarification from 2009, the binding nature of this or that political decision shall remain unchanged. However, the head of the State Duma Committee on Legislation, Pavel Krasheninnikov, said that there are grounds for lifting the moratorium.