Russian President Dmitry Medvedev pledged on Friday to improve social services for Russian pensioners.
"In the near future, I am planning to make several decisions on this issue," the president said, adding that he would take a tour across Russia to study the situation.
Medvedev admitted that Russia's elderly face many social and economic problems.
The president also said he had often received appeals for help from pensioners who were struggling to make ends meet.
The retirement age is another issue of concern, Medvedev said.
"There are about 40 million pensioners in our country - pensioners make up a very big part of our society," he said. "They have a very great working experience and a lot of knowledge, and the state's goal regarding those who are ready to work is to use their potential, to create motivations and opportunities to allow them to work."
Russia's retirement age is lower than in most other European countries. Currently, men are entitled to retire at 60 and women at 55.
In June, Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said that raising the retirement age in the country would help bring down the Pension Fund's increasing budget deficit and raise the average monthly pension allowance from the current 7,300 rubles ($237) to 10,000 ($325).
Critics say that given that the average life expectancy for Russian men is below 60, raising the retirement age would mean that many would not live to receive their pension.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin recently said the issue was not under discussion, while the Pension Fund and the Finance Ministry said that any changes to the country's retirement age would not be brought in before 2014-2015.
KURSK, September 24 (RIA Novosti)
