MOSCOW, October 29. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin set the goal to extend life expectancy in Russia beyond 80 years.

"One of the main goals for the coming years is to increase life expectancy," he said at the National Healthcare Congress.

The president also said there a need to bring down the difference between the country’s various regions in this metric.

"It is also well known that life expectancy for men in our country is still lower than that for women. We need to consistently address these problems," Putin said. "In general, life expectancy should reach an average of 78 years, and in the future, as is the previous planned, we should reach the level of 80 plus."

According to the president, new national projects, including those aimed at preserving the health of Russians, will be started next year. Putin said the government’s key goals include a faster increase of of life expectancy in the regions and population cohorts where it lags behind the national average.

"We need to work to reduce this differentiation," Putin said.