Ukrainian attacks on industrial and infrastructure facilities in Russia are causing damage, but they have not had and cannot have any critical consequences, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting of the Council for Strategic Development and National Projects.

Citing statistical data, the president described the country’s economic performance as modest but positive.

Key statements by the head of state...

Russian economy

• Russia’s current economic performance can be described as modest but positive: "As statistical data show, overall economic performance is modest but positive."
• Russia’s GDP growth in 2026 "stands at around 1%."
• Increasing investment activity is the key prerequisite for economic growth in Russia: "From 2019 to 2024, fixed capital investment in Russia increased by more than 40%. This result was achieved largely thanks to major industrial infrastructure projects that were primarily export-oriented."
• It is important to invest in projects primarily geared toward domestic demand: "I emphasize that it is important to invest in projects focused primarily on domestic demand, the technological development of all areas of life, and the platformization of economic sectors."
• "We need to support the strengthening of infrastructure in cities and towns, the modernization of housing and utilities, and the construction and renovation of seaports and river ports, airports, railways, and roads."
• "The construction sector demonstrated strong investment growth," supported in part by regional development measures and subsidized mortgage programs.
• The plan for structural transformation of the Russian economy through 2030, approved last year, should be implemented consistently, with results closely tracked: "On an ongoing basis, including at the regional level, taking into account not only the economic performance of Russia’s constituent entities, but also the state of their budgets and their debt burdens."
• Russia is taking effective steps to formalize the economy, and these efforts are producing results: "Overall, the first steps have been taken and, in my view, they have been quite effective. This mechanism is beginning to work effectively and deliver tangible results."

Impact of Ukrainian attacks on Russian infrastructure

• Ukrainian attacks on industrial and infrastructure facilities are causing damage, but there "are no, have been no, and can be no" critical consequences: "Economic growth is being affected by a number of factors, including external pressure and terrorist attacks on industrial and infrastructure facilities. Of course, there are no, have been no, and can be no critical consequences from such attacks. But they are certainly causing us damage; that is obvious."
• Russia’s trade infrastructure continues to operate effectively and reliably despite recent terrorist attacks: "Work is certainly being carried out under challenging conditions, but everyone working in this area is fully coping with the tasks that current circumstances present."

Restoring infrastructure facilities

Logistics and warehousing capacity damaged by Ukrainian attacks needs to be restored: "At the same time, logistics and warehousing capacity certainly needs to be restored, including with government support."

A program should be adopted to rebuild damaged infrastructure to a qualitatively new standard: "In this regard, I ask the government to adopt an appropriate program. At the same time, it is important to ensure that damaged facilities are rebuilt to a qualitatively new technological standard."

Presidential instructions

• Russia needs to strengthen its sovereignty and improve efficiency "both in defense and security and, of course, in the socioeconomic sphere."
• The use of advanced technologies in healthcare, education, culture, and other areas of the social sector needs to be scaled up significantly: "We need to step up efforts dramatically here, not on paper but in actual practice: in the work of clinics and hospitals, schools and universities, cultural and sports institutions, and so on."
• An electronic assessment system for social institutions needs to be introduced across Russia as soon as possible: "So far, this service is available in 30 regions. I urge all constituent entities of the Russian Federation to launch electronic assessments of social institutions as soon as possible and integrate them with the development of digital platforms so that citizens can easily use this option, for example, from their mobile devices."
• At the proposal of United Russia, regional budgets will receive additional support by "extending the maturity of budget loans beyond 2030."
• An additional 100 bln rubles ($1.18 bln) is to be distributed among Russian regions facing the most difficult budget situations: "I propose making another important decision, namely, to help those regions where the budget situation is objectively the most difficult. This year, they will receive a total of at least another 100 bln rubles. Today, we will discuss when and according to what principles these funds will be distributed."
• The Russian government should launch a new investment cycle to "give businesses additional opportunities to invest in the development of industry, agriculture, the service sector, and housing construction."
• Ministers and deputy prime ministers should "work closely with the regions" to address areas where the implementation of national projects is lagging at the local level.
• Relevant agencies have been instructed to develop portfolios of breakthrough solutions that social sector organizations will be required to adopt when joining the federal Labor Productivity project: "I ask each agency in the social sector to develop portfolios of breakthrough solutions, including on the basis of successful practices. These solutions will be mandatory for social sector organizations when they join the federal project aimed at improving labor productivity."
• The government has been instructed to analyze the effectiveness of investment support measures and the extent to which they are used by businesses: "I believe it would be appropriate for the government to once again assess the effectiveness of these measures, analyze demand for them among businesses at both the federal and regional levels, and then, together with the Central Bank and business associations, submit proposals on how to fine-tune the investment support system."
• The president criticized civil servants for "skipping" sessions under the Personnel for the Economy of the Future program and instructed that action be taken: "I ask the Presidential Executive Office to analyze the situation that has developed here, up to and including taking specific measures - both with regard to those who ignore [the program] and those who are simply going through the motions."

Interaction between authorities and citizens

• Work on implementing national projects should not become a formality, as there are no secondary tasks and every aspect matters: "I ask you to approach this work with a full understanding of the importance of what we are all doing together."
• Addressing issues related to the special military operation and supporting the families of service members and participants in the special military operation is "one of the key tasks."
• Russians should see and feel changes for the better, which is the main criterion for implementing national projects, rather than success being reflected only in reports and briefings: "Positive changes should not be recorded only in reports and briefings. People themselves should see and feel changes for the better. This is the main criterion."
• Joint efforts by the government, businesses, and public organizations under national projects should steadily improve people’s quality of life: "If something is not working as it should and citizens rightly point this out and draw attention to it, we need to pick up on these signals immediately and make timely decisions both at the federal level and locally in the regions."

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