Putin to hold annual press conference Friday

Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to hold his traditional annual press conference in Moscow on Friday, answering questions from national and foreign journalists on a range of topics over several hours.

This year, the media spectacle will again be combined with the TV show “Direct Line,” in which Russian citizens can lament their problems, ask the head of the Kremlin for solutions, and quiz him on other issues.

Russian state television reported that more than 2 million questions had been received in advance.

Putin has been preparing for the event since Wednesday, according to his press secretary Dmitry Peskov.

The country’s myriad challenges, including poverty, social hardship, and complaints about healthcare and poor infrastructure, are recurring themes of the event, which is broadcast throughout Russia on television and news websites.

The war in Ukraine has also been a prominent topic since Moscow ordered a full-scale invasion in 2022, with Russians wishing for an end to the bloodshed.

Putin repeatedly uses the televised event to portray himself as a caring leader and problem solver. Last year’s show lasted just under four and a half hours.