Putin says Russia ready for technological breakthrough

MOSCOW, Mar 1 (PRIME) -- Russia is well prepared for a real technological breakthrough, which is well grounded on achievements and human potential, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday during his address to the Federal Assembly.

“Changes in the world are of a civilizational mood, and the scale of this challenge demands from us a response of the same strength. We’re ready to respond. We’re ready for a true challenge, and this confidence rests on the remarkable results, although, perhaps, not so bright if seen from the outside, but the results we’ve reached together, on solidarity of the Russian society, and, the most important, on a colossal potential of Russia, our people of great talent and creativity,” Putin said.

Speed of technological changes in the modern world is “growing sweepingly” and those who will be able to exploit chances of this technological revolution “will shoot far ahead,” while those unable to achieve it “will be overwhelmed by this wave and will drown.”

“Technological retardness, dependence undermine security and economic opportunities of the country, as a result, they entail a loss of sovereignty. This is the way things are,” Putin said.

The coming years will become the years of technological changes regardless of who will win the elections, Putin said, referring to the presidential elections on March 18.

“The world is accumulating a gigantic technological potential that makes possible to carry out a real breakthrough in improvement of the quality of life of people, modernization of economy, infrastructure and state management. It only depends on us how effectively we could use these colossal chances of the technological revolution and how we will respond,” the president said.

“In this sense, the next few years will become decisive for the country’s future. I am stressing, decisive. I’ll explain why. What I’m going to say has nothing to do with the internal political cycle and even the approaching presidential elections. Whoever the president, every citizen of Russia, we all should feel deeply and understand what is happening in the world, what challenges we’re facing.”

Russia has all the possibilities to unroll 5G networks quickly. “We should shape our own digital platforms, which will be naturally compatible with the global information environment. It will allow us to organize manufacture processes, financial and biological service, including with the help of the distributed register technology, which is crucial for financial transactions, in a new way” Putin said.

“We must support high-tech companies, create a favorable environment for startups, for a rapid implementation of new developments into production.”

End