Drink tea with the president – not everyone could get such a chance! Last week Kirill Murtazin, a 5-year student at the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technology of Ozersk Technological Institute of MEPhI (OTI MEPhI) was deigned this honor. He started his education at the school №33, where he intensively studied English, then he moved to the Lyceum №39 and plunged into chemistry. After the end of 11th grade the young man entered Nanotechnology and Nanomaterials Department of Kazan State Technological University, but after the fourth year without seeing the prospects of his chosen direction, Kirill moved to Ozersk university to work seriously on chemistry again. He binds his future only with this science. On my question whether a young person after graduation is going to leave Ozersk, Kirill replied: «Maybe, but only for a while to attend postgraduate studies at the leading MEPhI institute, and then return to my hometown».

- When I got the call from the institute and was told that my name was in the lists on a trip to Moscow, I was confused, I was seized with excitement, - says Kirill. – I wondered why me? There are so many worthy candidates in the institute... But I am very grateful to the OTI MEPhI leadership for choosing me. At that time nobody told me about the planned meeting with the Russian president: students of MEPhI branches were invited to the head institution to become familiar with its process of learning. Of course, I did not refuse, it was very interesting for me to know how the capital education system is differ from ours.

- Kirill, how the meeting was organized?

- The event was divided into two parts which were held in parallel. From the Assembly Hall where the president answered student’s questions, he moved to the library hall where the table for tea was already laid. I was among those who were expected an audience in the library hall and I regret that I didn’t manage to participate in the big conversation. While we were waiting for Vladimir Vladimirovich coming, we were chatting among ourselves. During this time, our excitement faded away, we drank all the tea and ate most of the candies! There were 19 students from MEPhI branches and six from the leading MEPhI institute. To fit the time-limit of the meeting, 12 questions were planned to be asked to the president. We made ​​them ourselves and we were helped just in the correct wording and in the order of posing the questions. I should say that there was no pressure from the organizers: neither sense corrections nor any censorship, and it was rather pleasant. The most striking thing was an informal, democratic atmosphere of the meeting. There was no any reticence, stiffness or formal rigor. The first impression made by Putin was very positive. Active, quiet and confident man with a strong will of his own. He was very pleasant and attentive interlocutor. I was sitting opposite the President and could follow the expression of his face: Vladimir Putin was looking into your eyes and intently listening to the speaker. The meeting was short but left only good feelings.

- What was your question for the president and were you able to get an answer?

- We, the students of the closed administrative-territorial formations (CATF), were caring about the future of closed cities. But by the reason that we did not fit the time-limit, we didn’t have the time to ask Vladimir Vladimirovich all the questions. One of the Snezhinsk representatives expressed a concern that young professionals were leaving CATF. But she somehow linked this fact with the poorly organized leisure in closed cities (probably because of the excitement she shifted her focus). We formulated the question more deeply and wanted to hear from the president about the prospects of our cities and whether they were going to open. For many years these issues have worried the minds of Ozersk residents and residents from similar areas. The representative of the leading MEPhI institute asked about social student support. In my view, it is relevant to many students, including OTI MEPhI where are studying a lot of young people, who came from the neighborhood. V.V. Putin promised that the government would continue to support students. Some questions were readdressed to the rector of the MEPhI and to the head of the State Corporation «Rosatom» who attended this meeting. In total, Russian president spent with us forty minutes. The conversation was very constructive and the general atmosphere aimed at the future of our country, science and youth will keep in our minds for a long time.