Furious Putin scolds deputy PM Manturov over failure to procure contracts from Russian airlines

Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly humiliated his deputy Prime Minister Denis Maturov during their first official virtual meeting of 2023 on Wednesday.

President Putin accused Manturov, the minister for trade and industry, of fooling around instead of acquiring new aircraft for the nation. RIA Novosti news agency has released the deputy PM's humiliation tape.

In July, Putin handed the responsibility of Russia's defence industry to Manturov. He accompanied Putin on several national and foreign trips following the decision. However, Russia's current struggle with Ukraine and the surge in demand for military equipment have made Manturov's job challenging.

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During the video call conference, Putin commented on Manturov's work performance and said that he took "way too long" to complete his tasks. Putin mockingly asked the deputy PM to speed up his work.

Earlier, Russian President Putin asked Manturov to set up a $2.56 billion contract with Aeroloft, the largest airline in Russia. However, during the video call, he expressed anger over the deputy PM for not completing the deal.

Manturov could not match eyes as he passed sarcastic comments on the leadership, as seen in the clip. "So? When will this be sorted? No contracts either," Putin asked. "Denis Valentinovich, you are otherwise good to go, yet there are no contracts," he added.

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As President Putin dressed down the deputy PM for about a minute, others remained silent o the call, while some were busy with paperwork. "Why are you fooling about?" Putin asked. "When will we have the contracts?"

Putin has given Manturov a month to deliver.

Denis Manturov has served as Russia's minister for trade and industry for a decade. He took charge as the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia in July 2022, while he retains his title as trade and industry minister. He is also on the board of directors of the United Aircraft Corporation of Russia.

(With inputs from agencies)

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