RUSSIA's government news

Dmitry Medvedev comments on the outcome of Ukraine’s presidential election
22 April 2019 09:15


Dmitry Medvedev: Ukraine has voted, and the election results clearly show that voters are eager for new approaches to resolving Ukraine’s problems. It is obvious that the new president will have to consolidate the country with due account of the realities that took shape over the past years. I have no doubt that Ukraine’s new leader will stick to the rhetoric toward Russia he used during the campaign, repeating the same ideological tenets we know all too well, targeted at various social groups. I have no illusions whatsoever in this regard. At the same time, there is still a chance for Ukraine to improve its relations with Russia. What will it take? Honesty, as well as a pragmatic and responsible approach with due account for all the current political realities in Ukraine, primarily in the east of the country. Therefore, the main thing we can wish the new Ukrainian leadership is common sense, as well as to understand the inherent value of relations between the peoples of our countries that transcend all momentary political considerations.

This is the only way of reviving economic cooperation that has practically ceased, which would pave the way to resolving extremely challenging social problems millions of Ukrainians are facing today.

Approval of the Federal Research Programme for Genetic Technologies Development for 2019–2027

22 April 2019 14:00

The Programme’s key objectives are to implement a comprehensive solution to the task of the accelerated development of genetic technologies, including genetic editing; to establish scientific and technological groundwork for medicine, agriculture and industry; to improve the system of preventing biological emergencies and monitoring in this area.

Submitted by the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education pursuant to the Russian President’s Executive Order No. 680 On Developing Genetic Technologies in the Russian Federation. The signed resolution approves a scientific-technical programme for the genetic technologies development for 2019-2027 (hereinafter referred to as the Programme).

The Programme’s key objectives are to implement a comprehensive solution to the task of the accelerated development of genetic technologies, including genetic editing; to establish scientific and technological groundwork for medicine, agriculture and industry; to improve the system of preventing biological emergencies and monitoring in this area.

The directions for the implementation of the Programme are bio security and insuring technological independence, genetic technologies for agriculture, medicine, industrial microbiology.

The Programme envisions the establishment and development of laboratories and centres based at research and educational establishments that will conduct research in genetic technologies, technical support for them, conducting research and engineering with the use of genetic technologies, including the development of medicines, diagnostic systems, immunobiological means for healthcare, and biotechnologies for agriculture and industry.

The implementation of the Programme is expected to result in laying  a technological groundwork for medicine, agriculture and industry. Genetic editing technologies will be used to design new lines of plants and animals, including aquaculture, which are needed by the real economy. Also, in vitro and in vivo models of human illnesses are expected to be designed with the use of genetic technologies, as well as the functioning of bio resource centres which will provide for stocking, storing and delivery of sample collections in accordance with the world standards, establishing bio information and genetic databases, and setting up at least three world-class level centres for genome research. The creation of biological substances, diagnostic systems and immunobiological means for healthcare and biotechnologies for agriculture and industry will be ensured.

The Programme stipulates drafting an implementation schedule every three years through the period, and a comprehensive research plan. The executive agency in charge of implementing and coordinating the Programme is the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The methodology, information and analytical and organisational support shall be provided by the Kurchatov Institute, which is the leading research organisation under the Programme.

The implementation f the Programme will be funded within the state programmes  the Development of Science and Technology of the Russian Federation (including within the framework of the Science national project), Development of Education, Development of Healthcare, Development of Industry and Increasing its Competitiveness, Development of the Pharmaceutical and Medical Industry  in 2013-2020, Information Society (2011–2020), State Programme for the Development of Agriculture and Regulation of Agricultural Commodities Markets in 2013-2020, and also with funding from the budgets of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and out-of-budget sources.