The Kremlin is posting a running transcription of the address here.
Said more must done to provide housing for doctors in rural locations.
- By Carl Schreck
Putin critics raising question of whether his announced hot-lunch program for schools will be a handout for Yevgeny Prigozhin, the tycoon known as "Putin's chef" who is thought to control the St. Petersburg "troll factory" and the notorious Vagner private military contractor. Prigozhin's food-services company was blamed by Navalny's anti-corruption foundation for a food-poisoning outbreak in Moscow schools and kindergartens, an allegation the company denied.
Mediazona's editor in chief tweets a photo of Prigozhin and writes: "Russians enthusiastically embraced Putin's appeal regarding free hot lunches in schools":
Putin admits that all his proposals will cost the state a lot of money.
Turns his attention to the problem of providing medicines across the country, notes that there have been problems with this in recent years. Urges the government to work on this immediately, noting that many people are going without "critical" medications.
Turns his attention to macroeconomics and begins talking about inflation "in the consumer sphere."
- By Mike Eckel
Among the most acerbic commentators and critics of the Kremlin is a 27-year-old man who lives in the North Caucasus region of Daghestan and whose physical disability has confined him to a wheelchair.
Aleksandr Gorbunov's commentary -- on his Telegram channel and his Twitter feed -- riled local and federal authorities so much that last year his home in the city of Makhachkala was raided by authorities.
Read RFE/RL's profile of Gorbunov here from May 2019.
Gorbunov had this quick, hot take on Putin's speech today.
“A little bit of humiliation of the great superpower is now ongoing live: billionaires with unlimited power who have run the country as they want for 20 years are sitting in a hall promising to arrange hot meals for young elementary school students.”
Now discussing what is needed to "stimulate investment." Tax reform. New laws "on the protection of investments." Support for medium and small businesses, as well as for major projects.
Again calls for reform of the Criminal Code as it affects business. Notes that small businesses complain that they are sometimes charged with being "organized-crime organizations."