OREANDA-NEWS. January 22, 2009. During the visit Mironov met with the managers of the institute. The director of VNIIEF made a report on the institute’s scientific-technical activities.

Mironov visited the scientific-industrial facilities and the museum of VNIIEF.

During a conference at the House of Scientists he addressed the staff of the institute:

“Nuclear deterrence is one of the key elements of the defense capacity of our country.

VNIIEF has made an outstanding contribution to the creation of our nuclear shield and the enhancement of our military power. The unique achievements of the institute are the result of the high professionalism of its staff.

Sarov is not only scientific but also spiritual and intellectual center of Russia. It is the native town of Serafim of Sarov. Moral confessions like Orthodoxy and nuclear weapon are the basic elements of our national, external and internal security.

Despite its negative implications the current financial crisis is a chance for us to reorient our economy from mining to processing. And high and innovative technologies are the very directions that can help us to do it.

The basis of our national security is competitive real sector.

Our key treasure is not oil and gas, not gold and currency reserves, not mineral resources but our intellect and spirituality – our key competitive advantages.

Our nuclear technologies are among the most advanced in the world and if we want to ensure innovative breakthrough we must actively develop our nuclear industry. 

In this light, it is important that VNIIEF works not only on military products but also on civil technologies. The technoparks, business incubators and other innovative structures we are creating at present we help us to build our future.

I am sure that the opening of a technopark in Sarov will significantly enhance the efficiency of your research activities. This project will boost small and medium-sized business and will create lots of new jobs.

Our Government is hardly working to develop our defense industry and nuclear deterrence technologies.

The capacities of VNIIEF can and must be used for meeting the demand for our accelerated innovative development.

The very existence of cities like Sarov may become a decisive competitive advantage for Russia in its efforts to build an economy of knowledge. The main thing we must do to this end is to preserve the atmosphere of creative scientific search, to create favorable conditions for the life and work of Russian scientists and young talented youths. If we do this, the life and work in Sarov will become no less prestigious and interesting that the life and work in the Silicon Valley.

As one of the key centers of our military industry and intellectual-spiritual life, Sarov needs special patronage of the state and society. We have agreed with the management of VNIIEF that the Expert Council on Defense Complex of the Federation Council will hold an enlarged conference and that representatives of VNIIEF will tell the senators about their problems and plans and what the latter must do to foster the development of the center as the locomotive of Russia’s economy. I will take an active part in this process.

I am impressed with I have seen in Sarov. The Federation Council will cooperate with VNIIEF and will help it.”

In conclusion, Mironov asked the questions of journalists and presented some of its employees with letters of gratitude.