ST. PETERSBURG, June 16. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a record-long keynote speech at the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Friday, which lasted about one hour and 19 minutes.

The head of state made a number of important statements, particularly confirming plans to raise Russia’s minimum monthly wage by 18.5% in 2024, and proposing that child benefits and the unified child allowance be paid to parents during the entire period for which they are designated, even if the recipient’s income rises.

Putin specifically emphasized that Russia "is getting off the oil needle" and that this trend was gaining momentum. In addition, the president proposed an amnesty for businesses for currency violations they were compelled to commit by changing circumstances.

The head of state has traditionally always taken part in the Forum personally. His second-longest speech at the plenary session of SPIEF, which took place in 2022, lasted about one hour and 14 minutes. The third-longest address to the Forum lasted 49 minutes in 2012, while in 2021 Putin spoke for 45 minutes.

Over the past ten years, Putin has mainly delivered speeches of about 30 minutes in length. This was the duration of his SPIEF keynoters in 2013 through 2016 and in 2019. His briefest Forum addresses, which lasted some 20 minutes, were delivered at SPIEF in 2017 and 2018. In 2020, the Forum did not take place due to the coronavirus pandemic.