OREANDA-NEWS. October 05, 2010. Mr Putin and Mr Shoigu discussed the issues related to obtaining special equipment for the Ministry of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster Relief, in particular equipment for fighting forest fires. Moreover, the minister briefed the prime minister on the state of the national civil defence system.

Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:

Vladimir Putin: Mr Shoigu, first I would like to congratulate you and all your colleagues on the Day of Civil Defence and Emergencies Ministry and to wish all the best to the entire personnel of the ministry.

Sergei Shoigu: Thank you, Mr Putin.

Vladimir Putin: Today, I would also like to discuss efforts to overhaul equipment which was used intensively during the abnormal heat wave this summer. And what can you say about the purchase of new equipment, which has received adequate funding?  

Sergei Shoigu: Thank you for your well wishes, Mr Putin. As for overhauling equipment, I have already told you that over 2,700 pieces of our equipment were put out of action. Proper funding made it possible to repair 600 pieces of equipment to date. And we will use the allocations to acquire 297 new pieces of equipment already this year. Moreover, we are actively working on next year's contracts. We are launching production and deliveries at the expense of advance payments beginning on January 1, 2011, so as not to waste time as usual during the first quarter. Generally, deliveries begin only in the second quarter, but we are trying to get them earlier.

Speaking of 2011 allocations, funding has been disbursed for the purchase of Beriyev Be-200 amphibious aircraft. We made the advance payments from allocations for wildfire prevention, so that the plants could start working already now. They are cooperatively carrying out ambitious projects in the field of aircraft manufacture. That's the way it always is in aviation and the aircraft industry. We have already signed contracts for these planes in 2010, an we will make advance payments facilitating the initial work.

Vladimir Putin: Have 10 billion roubles been allocated?

Sergei Shoigu: Yes. And now a few words about automotive equipment. Five billion roubles were allocated for 2011 in line with your decision. You instructed to set aside another three billion, and this made for eight billion for this year. You have said that all equipment damaged by wildfires must be replaced. Mr Putin, the relevant allocations for 2010 have been disbursed, and we are completing the project. Naturally, this also concerns supplies, including foaming agents and fuel. Reserve fuel was provided in line with a separate decision you made, and we have eliminated fuel shortages for aircraft. Certainly, our aircraft have expended their service life and must be repaired or replaced because they dropped 82,000 tonnes of water, which is a number that has never been reached in Europe.

Vladimir Putin: Well, they probably don't have so much water. And what is the situation like with  reequipping and installing additional equipment aboard aircraft owned by other ministries and departments?

Sergei Shoigu: Mr Putin, budgetary allocations for 2011 are stipulated in line with your decision. Ninety of our helicopters will be equipped with water spray tanks next year. Twenty-four Mil Mi-26 heavy-duty helicopters will carry 15 tonnes of water each. The rest are Mi-8 and Kamov Ka-32 helicopters serving with the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of the Interior, the Federal Security Service and Border Troops. Moreover, we will receive Ilyushin Il-76 planes, the world's heaviest air force tankers capable of carrying 40 tonnes of water. Although they collect water on the ground, they operate very effectively. They drop 40 tonnes of water from 15-metre altitudes, penetrating the ground by 50 centimetres. As a result, we will have over 100 firefighting aircraft, plus light-weight reconnaissance aircraft. In all, 136 aircraft will be able to redeploy to any part of the country. In addition, we will receive Be-200 amphibious aircraft and Ka-32 helicopters. The latter will be placed on permanent combat duty and will patrol the Moscow - St Petersburg railway and motorways in line with your decision. They will fly rescue missions and airlift patients in four regions. Naturally, they will also be equipped with spray tanks for promptly containing fires. In effect, all decisions made at this difficult time have proved to be effective and justified in the 2011-2013 budget submitted to the State Duma.

Vladimir Putin: Good.

Sergei Shoigu: Speaking of civil defence, the national civil defence system was always intended to be used in times of war. All these years we tested the new system in Lensk, Yakutia. The old system had to be promptly dismantled. Consequently, we started using the civil defence system for peaceful purposes, rather than military ones. Much has happened since then. Nine constituent entities were flooded in southern Russia. Flood prevention measures were also implemented. This summer, we used the civil defence system for peaceful purposes during firefighting efforts. We utilised civilian equipment, mobilised enterprises and involved their workers in the firefighting operations. We mobilised all the reserves, and used the equipment of the Defence Ministry, the Interior Ministry, as well as pipeline transport and the Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School. The wartime civil defence system was activated in peacetime. Mr Putin, please give us and other departments instructions to draft regulatory documents because we lack the regulatory framework to place the entire civil defence system on a state of high alert.  

Vladimir Putin: In peacetime?

Sergei Shoigu: Yes, in peacetime.

Vladimir Putin: Do you mean that the so-called regulatory framework must be upgraded along with the problems of the day?

Sergei Shoigu: Yes, Mr Putin. We have to determine how prepared we are for emergencies. Regional governors issue municipal and regional level alerts. The government and the prime minister issue an alert on the federal level. These emergency scenarios are launched when a disaster affects two or more regions. And, finally at the highest level, the president activates the entire system of emergency services.

Vladimir Putin: Good.