Greetings to the 16th Congress of Russian Surgeons

The message reads, in part:

"In keeping with tradition, your distinguished assembly will bring together leading domestic and international experts to deliberate on key professional issues, exchange expertise, and review innovative developments and methodologies. I consider this extremely important, as the widespread introduction of advanced surgical technologies, the modernisation of specialised departments and faculties, and the effective training of a new generation of doctors are all vital to enhancing the quality of Russian medicine and, consequently, to providing timely and effective care to patients.

Surgery is a vocation that demands profound knowledge, the highest level of skill, and immense responsibility. I wish to express my gratitude to the Russian Society of Surgeons and to all those working in this exceptionally demanding field for their truly selfless labour, their fidelity to the Hippocratic Oath, and their unwavering dedication. A special tribute is owed to those surgeons who perform urgent operations, saving the wounded in the field, in military hospitals, and in emergency zones. Your courage, self-sacrifice, and readiness to provide immediate assistance restore people's health and, indeed, their very lives.

I am confident that the ideas and recommendations formulated during the congress will find practical application in clinical practice. They will contribute to the advancement of surgical science and foster further dialogue and partnership with colleagues abroad."