Andrei Belousov, Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, addresses the Defence Ministry Board Session.
At today’s meeting, we will check implementation of the decisions made by the extended board session and assess the interim results.
We are going to discuss to what indicators we are reaching by the end of 2025. On this basis, we will plan our activities for next year. In December, at the Board session, we will report the results of our work to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.
Last year, at the Extended Board Session, ten priority activity areas of the Defence Ministry were determined.
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The key of them is ensuring victory in the special military operation and achieving the goals set by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.
I emphasise that our troops have increased the momentum of advance this year.
At the beginning of the year, we were liberating 300–400 square kilometres monthly, and this figure has reached 600–700 square kilometres.
The Kiev regime’s military and industrial infrastructure has been significantly damaged.
This year, we have carried out 35 massive and group strikes against 146 critically important facilities of the enemy.
As a result, the infrastructure of 62% of key Ukrainian defence industry enterprises has been damaged.
I would like to highlight in particular those strikes that reduce the chances of increasing production, as well as those attacking logistics centres and launch sites of long-range UAVs.
Combat potential of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has been significantly reduced. This year alone, the Armed Forces of Ukraine lost more than 340,000 troops and more than 65,000 units of armament.
We have significantly increased the supply of tactical UAVs for troops. This has undoubtedly had a positive impact on the course of combat operations.
It is necessary to complete work on establishing an effective support system for UAVs, including logistics and repairs.
It is also necessary to accelerate the training of UAV pilots and expedite the implementation of necessary organisational measures.
The troops have been provided with effective means of EWs, including those for trenches.
The next important point is to improve the speed of tactical group movement.
This year, 22,725 motorbikes, ATVs, and buggies have been delivered. It is planned to transfer 12,186 units of this equipment to the troops by the end of the year.
Moreover, the most significant aspect of combat operations is raising awareness on the tactical level.
Last year, we started developing the Svod system. In September-November, we will perform its experimental combat trials. Next, we will begin scaling up the system for all groups of forces.
The key point in ensuring offensive operations remains the staffing issue. Work in this area is going well. This year, we have expanded our contract recruitment plan. The Staffing Plan indicators are generally meeting expectations.
The second priority issue determined at the Extended Board Session is forming the State Arms Programme for the period up to 2036. It has been developed in accordance with expected threats and new methods of warfare, taking in account the experience of the special military operation.
The State Arms Programme is focused on strategic nuclear forces, space means, air defence equipment, electronic warfare systems, signal and control systems, unmanned and robotic systems, as well as artificial intelligence technologies.
The third priority area is modernisation of the military education system and training of officers.
The key issue is to update the list and content of military professions, which need to be approved by the end of the year. This list is formed taking into account the anticipated military conflicts, promising structure of the Armed Forces, and the planned supplies of modern weapons.
In September, three academies began training servicemen in 11 new specialisations. First of all, it concerns the use of unmanned aerial vehicles and robotic systems.
These measures are implemented within the framework of the Project ‘Military Education Serving the Fatherland’.
The use of volunteer medical units in the special military operation zone has proved effective, and it is therefore necessary to continue this practice and extend the experience to all military districts.
Despite active combat operations, the rate of return to service after being wounded remain high. Currently, it is maintained at 97%.
This was made possible thanks to new medical technologies being introduced at the military level and high-tech medical assistance being brought closer to the front lines. Working together with the Russian Ministry of Health and the Federal Medical and Biological Agency (FMBA), we are able to use ‘dried plasma’ and treat servicemen who have an injure that is resistant to antibiotics.
Given the special characteristics of the special military operation, the servicemen of the groups of forces are provided with modern first aid kits: 100% of them.
In addition, units are being equipped with new evacuation means, including robotic means, and with protection from enemy drones.
A significant social issue that is closely monitored by the Ministry of Defence is the comprehensive rehabilitation and provision of prosthetics for military personnel.
To this end, the Joint Coordination Centre began its work on the basis of the Military Medical Academy at the beginning of the year.
It organises the work of 18 regional rehabilitation training centers and enters into contracts for prosthetics with enterprises in the regions. Thanks to the introduction of this new system, the number of people waiting for prosthetic devices has been reduced by 2.5 times.
As a result of introduction of six mobile military medical commissions, the burden on stationary military medical commissions has been reduced by 80%. The duration of medical examinations of the wounded has been halved.
I instruct to continue this work and to increase the number of commissions for use in high-priority and demanding areas.
In accordance with the Russian President’s instructions, measures have been implemented to increase the pay of civilian medical specialists at the military level from the level of pay in the entity of the Russian Federation: doctors:—200%, medium and junior medical personnel—100%, which made it possible to increase staffing.
In order to maintain the capacity of our personnel, I have instructed to continue working on the development of additional stimuli and materials for all medical professionals in the Armed Forces of Russia.
The fifth priority area is social support for military personnel and their families.
We have significantly reduced the amount of paperwork involved and have moved on to provide confirmation of federal and regional benefits by digitising our services.
The ‘Vitrina Dannykh’ (Data Mart) service is effectively implemented, which makes it possible to obtain a certificate of participation in the special military operation almost instantly.
More than 300,000 certificates have already been issued since May.
By the end of the year, around 25,000 federal and regional authorities, as well as local authorities, will have been connected to this service. By means of interdepartmental electronic cooperation, they will receive the information necessary for the provision of social support to servicemen.
Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov’s Address to the Defence Ministry Board Session.