Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded that the entire country adopt and take pride in domestic technological developments while building long term demand for national products, state news agency RIA Novosti reported. Speaking at the Strong Ideas for a New Time forum in Nizhny Novgorod, Putin said Russians across every region must use locally made technologies.
Putin told forum participants that Russia must establish a full system to support innovation and ensure domestic goods are embraced nationwide. He stated that the country needs to create conditions where products and technologies made in Russia are used and celebrated from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok.
Geographical reach and innovation support
By invoking Kaliningrad and Vladivostok, Putin referenced the full geographic extent of the Russian Federation. Kaliningrad is Russia's westernmost exclave on the Baltic coast, while Vladivostok is a major port city on the Pacific Ocean in the Far East. The distance between the two regional capitals spans more than 6,000 miles across eleven time zones.
The speech took place in Nizhny Novgorod, a major industrial hub located at the confluence of the Volga and Oka rivers in western Russia. The Strong Ideas for a New Time forum is an annual national event designed to select and promote technological initiatives, economic proposals, and business projects intended to strengthen the domestic economy.
Industrial speed and historic precedent
The call for technological independence follows previous statements Putin made in May during a congress of the Union of Machine Builders of Russia. At that event, he urged industrial leaders to accelerate decision making, warning that domestic manufacturing cannot afford to fall behind foreign competitors.
During the May meeting, Putin called for the broadest possible adoption of top technological and organizational innovations across Russian factories. He acknowledged at the time that rapid organizational transformation has historically not been typical for Russia, but insisted that modern industrial competition requires faster adaptation.
The Union of Machine Builders of Russia is an influential industry group representing large engineering enterprises, defense contractors, and industrial research institutes. The president's remarks were published by RIA Novosti, Russia's primary state news agency headquartered in Moscow.
