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Live Blog: Putin's Annual Address As It Happened

Russian President Vladimir Putin has given his annual address to parliament.

-- Russian President Vladimir Putin used his annual state-of-the-nation address to parliament to focus on domestic affairs, including measures to counter Russia’s declining population.

-- The address was delivered this year at Moscow’s Manezh exhibition hall.

-- It was the 16th time Putin has delivered the address before an audience that includes government ministers, judges from the constitutional and supreme courts, leading regional officials, and other members of the political elite.

09:28 15.1.2020

Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin isn't the only one whose tan has drawn attention from the commentariat. (commentariatichiki?)

German Gref, the CEO of state-run bank Sberbank, is also sporting quite a healthy, sunny tan.

09:28 15.1.2020

Says regions must do more to make sure all schools have proper facilities, including facilities for music and art education.

09:29 15.1.2020

Says salaries for teachers should be raised by 5,000 rubles by September 1.

09:30 15.1.2020

Warns regional leaders not to reduce their payments to teachers in response to the increase from the federal budget. Says "I will be watching this."

09:30 15.1.2020

09:31 15.1.2020

Says demand for places in institutions of higher education is also growing (as a result of the rising birth rates in the 2008-18 period) and state must prepare for that.

09:32 15.1.2020

Says state must work to create/develop institutions of higher education in the regions so that students can study in the regions where they were born and don't have to leave them.

09:33 15.1.2020

Now turns attention to improving life expectancy in Russia, which he says is now more than one year longer than it was in 2000. Attributes it to various state policies.

09:34 15.1.2020

Notes that people everywhere criticize their local health-care system. Says that people in Russia do not evaluate the health-care system based on average figures for the country, but based on their own experience -- how far they must travel, how long they must wait, etc. Says more must be done to improve "the frontlines" of health care.

09:35 15.1.2020

Said even local clinics must have modern equipment and high-speed Internet.

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