ST. PETERSBURG, June 20. /TASS/. The decline in poverty in Russia has reached a historic low, standing at 7.2% and continuing to improve, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

"We have achieved a record decline in the poverty level in the Russian Federation in the country's history. According to the results of last year, it was 7.2%. And the positive dynamics persist," he said.

According to the Russian leader, the key to increasing the incomes of citizens and families, and to reducing social inequality lies in high-quality, structurally new employment.

"This still remains a challenge for us, but we are consistently solving it," he said.