Russian President Dmitry Medvedev expressed his hopes for the development of cooperation between government, business and non-commercial organizations for charity purposes.
The president emphasized that the National Charity Fund was established to support servicemen, police officers, and Federal Security Service personnel, as well as their families in case of their death in the line of duty.
The president called on the members of the Russian National Charity Fund's Board of Guardians to support families of Russian servicemen killed on duty.
"We are all indebted to these people, their actions, we pay them respect and we must help their families using all possible means," he said.
He said that in 2009 alone, 235 law enforcement officers were killed on the North Caucasus and another 686 were injured in the line of duty.
Medvedev noted that over the last few years, donations have been sent to the National Charity Fund by more than 800 organizations and individuals, adding: "I'd like to say thank you to them...this is a sincere act of human sentiment."
The Board of Guardians is composed of heads of Russia's main religions.
GORKI, June 30 (RIA Novosti)
