Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Russian President Vladimir Putin will for a second year in a row combine his annual press conference and televised call-in show next month, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday.
“The unified format, which will combine the annual press conference with elements of a direct line, will take place in the second half of December,” Peskov told reporters, saying he would announce a date for the event later.
“As usual, we will collect citizens’ questions and answer them,” Peskov said.
Putin will also “answer in detail journalists’ questions from Russian, regional, federal and foreign media in attendance,” the spokesman added.
Putin held a combined press conference in December of last year when he touted Russia’s economic growth, railed against the West and vowed to continue the war against Ukraine.
Previously, Putin’s call-in show was combined with an end-of-year press conference due to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
Neither of the two set-piece events was held in the tumultuous year of 2022, when Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the West unleashed an unprecedented flurry of sanctions in response.
In 2021, Putin held the “Direct Line” call-in show in June and an end-of-year press conference in December.
First launched in 2001, Putin’s call-in program aims to cast the Russian leader as a “problem-solver-in-chief,” as he personally addresses the complaints of ordinary citizens that regional and local officials are accused of ignoring.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has designated The Moscow Times as an “undesirable” organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a “foreign agent.”
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work “discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership.” We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It’s quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you’re defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.