The key facts
- In a video address, Putin named the fight against drug trafficking, cybercrime, maintaining public order and road safety as the Interior Ministry's priorities
- The Kremlin press service published the text of the congratulation on Internal Affairs Officers' Day
- Earlier, by presidential decree, 14 Interior Ministry employees received the highest ranks: three became police lieutenant generals, nine — police major generals, and two — major generals of justice
Congratulations and priorities
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a video address marking Internal Affairs Officers' Day, celebrated on November 10, congratulated serving police officers and veterans of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. According to Life.ru, he said that Russian citizens expect the internal affairs agencies to fight crime more effectively, including the illegal drug trade and cybercrime, as well as to strengthen public order and road safety. “I am confident that you will conscientiously, selflessly and precisely carry out all the assigned tasks,” the outlet quoted the president as saying.
Assessment of the ministry's work
The Kremlin press service published the text of the congratulation, in which Putin called the Ministry of Internal Affairs one of the key links in the law enforcement system and emphasized the ministry's importance for ensuring public safety and protecting the population. “I want to thank the leadership and personnel of the internal affairs agencies for their loyalty to their official duty, for their strenuous work, for their reliability and readiness to come to people's aid immediately,” — Gazeta.Ru quotes the president.
Context: footage and new generals
The festive address is accompanied by two notable events surrounding the ministry. First, as Gazeta.Ru notes, at an expanded meeting of the Ministry of Internal Affairs board in March this year, Putin called staff shortages one of the ministry's key problems: at the time, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev reported a critical staffing situation in district departments, and over the past year 58,000 people were hired while 80,000 left the service. Second, the president earlier awarded the highest special ranks to 14 Ministry of Internal Affairs employees, who are part of the senior command staff: three received the rank of police lieutenant general, nine — police major general, and two more became major generals of justice.
