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Meeting with Smolensk Region Governor Vasily Anokhin

Vladimir Putin held a working meeting with Smolensk Region Governor Vasily Anokhin.

September 10, 2025
14:10
The Kremlin, Moscow

At the beginning of the meeting, Vasily Anokhin spoke about the participation of major military units stationed in the region in the special military operation, and about supporting SMO participants and their families. There are 49 support measures in total. Interaction with the Fatherland Defenders Foundation is underway, and the diocese and the metropolis are widely involved in the work. The clergy communicate with the families, and travel to the front lines. The Association of Special Military Operation Participants has been created. The SMO veterans are being helped successfully re-enter civilian life; 273 demobilised servicemen have been employed, and five more work at government agencies.

The President noted that focus on the SMO participants should be constant. This, he said, is not some trendy area of work, but a tribute by the state to the people who stand up to defend it. This should be an uninterrupted effort.

Next up, Mr Anokhin reported on progress in implementing the President's instructions, primarily in healthcare. This year will see the completion of the construction of a new building of a clinical psychiatric hospital with 600 beds. The construction of the surgical building of a cancer treatment centre and a large outpatient clinic has been completed. In two years, the number of medical checkups has significantly increased. Even though staffing and the condition of medical buildings remain on the list of issues that need attention, much is being done to bring things up to code. There is a substantial programme to support young medical specialists.

The region is implementing a programme for the integrated development of territories, in particular rural territories; housing is being built, and staff shortages at rural health posts have been cut in half, which is particularly important. The governor pointed out that demography was a core issue for the region to move forward. A major programme to promote the birth rate has been drafted that includes support for young student families and large families.

Improving the education system and restoring cultural heritage sites in this region with rich history was discussed as well. Europe's largest archaeological museum-reserve in Gnezdovo and the Smolenskoye Poozerye National Park, which is home to a group of ice age lakes, are being rebuilt. The region boasts churches built during the pre-Mongol period that is before the 13th century and is a destination point for large numbers of pilgrims. To support the tourist flow and for business purposes in general, the governor said, it is important to re-build the airport, which, upon a presidential instructions, was transferred on the books the region. A contract for designing an airport has been signed, and the airport will be built within the next two years.

According to the head of the region, the industrial sector is making good progress. The enterprises that worked well in the Soviet times and were then shut down are being revivified. The focus is on aircraft building, the car industry, and shipbuilding. In this regard, the Smolensk Aviation Plant and the Izmeritel Plant were mentioned. A major Roslavl Brake Systems Plant is being revived. The unmanned aerial systems are making great strides.

Responding to the President's remark about agriculture's lagging performance last year, Vasily Anokhin pointed out that this was primarily due to logistics. Just like the neighbouring Republic of Belarus, the Smolensk Region is in the process of overhauling its logistics, since the markets have moved eastward to Central Russia. Thanks to Russian Railways, the situation is gradually improving. The region has begun to engage in export competence. There are over 2,000 exporters in the region. According to the Russian Export Centre rankings, the region's Export Support Centre has held the country's top spot for two years in a row. It will provide services to its Belarusian partners as well.

Speaking of the investment climate, the governor reported that as of late 2024, the region held the fifth place in the country in the national investment climate rankings. Fifty projects are being implemented with an investment volume of about 60 billion. Extensive work is underway with ALROSA Company. Previously, the Smolensk Region was called the cutting capital, but now the holding company has deployed a full-blown jewelry group here. All final jewelry will now be manufactured in Smolensk. A college has been created to train corresponding specialists.

Speaking about the agriculture, the governor said that at over 4,000 tonnes of meat the region ranked first in the country in terms of rabbit breeding. The region ranks first in the Central Federal District in terms of canned fruits and vegetables, and the production of dry milk, which, in particular, is supplied to the United Confectioners group of companies.

The core historical competence - flax plant, a very popular export product - is being revived. The region ranks first in Russia in terms of sown area and flax processing. In 2024, sown areas increased by 40 percent and by another 17 percent in early 2025. Processing was also up by about 70 percent. Our Belarusian colleagues have lent us a helping hand in this regard. Many joint ventures are operational and joint breeding and seed centres are being created, because seeds used to be imported. The Smolensk Region plans to develop its own varieties.

The governor noted that the Republic of Belarus was the region's key trading partner accounting for 67 percent of the region's trade. There are 49 agreements in force, and 5,000 joint ventures are operating. Following a meeting with the President of the Republic of Belarus last year, a number of investment projects received support, including in flax growing, tourism, and mechanical engineering, in particular, with MAZ and BelAZ. The Smolensk Region is the main service centre for BelAZ. A major service centre will be created for MAZ and many other Belarusian enterprises. Cooperation ties and export routes have been established, and shipments are being made. The region is becoming a coordination centre for the Union State of Russia and Belarus. Meetings of the High-Level Group and boards of federal ministries, as well as a number of other events, are held here. In 2024, a decision was made to build a Union House, a joint information centre.

Vasily Anokhin also discussed other interactions with neighbouring Belarus, in particular in culture and sports. He pointed out that truly fraternal, friendly, and warm relations are maintained with Belarus, he proposed holding the next Forum of the Regions of Belarus and Russia in the Smolensk Region. The President supported this proposal.