"Sobchak has always held the height of nobility and dignity."

Anatoly Sobchak is one of the politicians who laid the foundations of modern Russian statehood. Vladimir Putin said this on February 19 at a memorial evening on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the death of the first mayor of St. Petersburg. On the same day, the President laid flowers at the monument to Sobchak on Vasilyevsky Island. The head of state also visited the Radar mms research and production enterprise and inspected a series of drones. According to him, the Russian Federation has always been proud of the designers, engineers and workers of the domestic defense industry, while the country should continue to actively develop military and civilian drones.

Putin honored the memory of Sobchak

On February 19, Vladimir Putin went to Vasilyevsky Island in St. Petersburg, where he laid a bouquet of red roses at the monument to the city's first mayor Anatoly Sobchak. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the politician's death. The President approached the monument together with Anatoly Sobchak's widow Lyudmila Narusova.

The daughter of the first mayor of St. Petersburg, journalist Ksenia Sobchak and her son Platon were also at the ceremony. The President was happy to talk to Anatoly Sobchak's grandson: he called the boy to him, shook his hand, hugged him, and talked to Platon for a few minutes before he laid a bouquet at the monument to his grandfather. What they chatted about remained a mystery even to the mom. "I ask: "About what?". He says: "This is between us, but in general they talked about studies", - wrote Ksenia in her social networks.

Anatoly Sobchak led the Northern Capital from 1991 to 1996. His figure became one of the brightest in Russian politics of the 1990s. He was the first and only mayor of St. Petersburg, now the city is led by the governor. It was under Sobchak that the city was returned to its historical name. From his team came a whole pleiad of Russian statesmen, among them Vladimir Putin. The head of state often reverently remembers his comrade. In one of the documentaries about Anatoly Sobchak, the President said: "I would like to see him, talk to him, consult him on some issues. And it is a pity that I do not have such an opportunity today.

Anatoly Sobchak broke into politics in the late 80s. Many statesmen who had the opportunity to work with him recall his speeches without paper and bold statements that people were not used to hearing from the political podium. According to them, he was a brave man.

- It was difficult for Sobchak, imagine 1992. This is the year of price liberalization, prices of all goods in all stores become mostly free, skyrocket. Inflation in 1992 was 1400%," recalls Alexei Kudrin, former head of the Audit Chamber. - This, of course, was a very serious shock for the population, and we really discussed how to be. The budget was filling up slower than prices were rising, and we had to provide medicines in hospitals, bandages, and fuel for public transportation. Anxiety, protest, and discontent grew. He would take me and we would go right into the thick of things - to the transport workers, gather doctors and discuss how we could live together in this situation.

Sergei Naryshkin, head of the SVR, told Izvestia how at that time he was still working in "modest positions" and was not closely acquainted with Anatoly Sobchak. However, he recalls with warmth how he had several times participated in Sobchak's meetings with foreign delegations. It was very interesting to work with him, as the mayor spoke passionately and convincingly about the past and future of Russia in general and St. Petersburg in particular.

- From the height of today's time we can firmly affirm that Anatoly Sobchak wrote the history of the first stage of modern Russia, the stage of transition from the Soviet Union to a democratic, legal, truly sovereign state, such a state as Anatoly Alexandrovich wanted it to be and as Russia has become today," said Sergei Naryshkin.

On February 19, Vladimir Putin came to the evening in memory of Anatoly Sobchak, which was held at the St. Petersburg Shostakovich Academic Philharmonic Hall. According to him, the first mayor of St. Petersburg very painfully perceived the collapse of the USSR: "I remember I was in Smolny, at work, he came from Moscow. He sat down, threw some papers, looked somewhere in the distance. And then he said, "Why are they doing this? Why are they destroying the country?".

- Anatoly Alexandrovich loved his city and ours very much, and as mayor he was organic and in tune with St. Petersburg, he invested his talent, intellect and boiling energy in its development. Yes, he went through difficult times here: he survived betrayal and slander. But he never responded to anyone in the same way, never stooped to it. He always held the heights of nobility and dignity. We will remember him just like that," said the President.

At the same time, the head of state does not consider it an exaggeration to call Sobchak one of those who laid the foundations of modern Russia. To the sound of applause, he said goodbye to the widow and daughter of the politician, who were also present at the evening.

Putin visited the Radar mms enterprise in St. Petersburg

Vladimir Putin then went to the Radar Mms research and production enterprise, which specializes in the development of precision-guided weapon homing systems, radar systems, and UAVs. The President was shown civilian drones. Among them is the legendary BVS BT 440, capable of delivering cargo up to 100 kilometers. It weighs 440 kilograms. This is Russia's first certified unmanned helicopter. It is already being used on Yamal, Georgy Antsev, the general designer of Radar Mms NPP JSC, told Izvestia.

- It makes four or five flights every day. It works fully automatically, no operator's actions are required, it moves along the route, separates from aircrafts automatically and lands automatically. The only thing you need an operator for is to initially form a flight assignment: where to fly, what points to land at. So it is a robot. A robot with artificial intelligence, which provides today the fulfillment of the logistical task," Georgy Antsev told Izvestia.

"Radar mms" is a leader in the field of creating intelligent systems for aviation, marine equipment, and both military and civilian purposes.

- The enterprise makes a significant contribution to strengthening Russia's defense capability and security, develops and supplies automated systems and complexes for high-precision weapons. I am in constant contact with our military, with commanders of groupings - one way or another, I want to emphasize it, always, no matter how the conversation unfolds, it touches upon the products manufactured at your enterprise, - said Vladimir Putin.

For high achievements in ensuring Russia's defense potential, the Radar mms team was awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky. Later, Vladimir Putin convened a separate meeting. There he declared the need to actively develop the creation of unmanned aircraft systems for both civil and defense sectors. According to the President, today the entire high-tech nomenclature of products manufactured at Radar mms is part of modern detection, reconnaissance and guidance equipment. Vladimir Putin called the fulfillment of the state defense order the main task of this enterprise.