‘Make way for the young’: Russians’ biting comments to Putin
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Remarks and questions sent by viewers appeared seemingly unfiltered on the screen during Mr Putin‘s four-hour press conference.
PHOTOS: AFP, X
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MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin answered 67 questions during a marathon press conference
Russian citizens submitted more than 2.8 million questions to Mr Putin, who announced he would run for re-election in 2024, allowing him to extend his decades-long grip on power into the 2030s.
“No need to run for another mandate – make way for the young!” one viewer said, sending his question by text.
“Who will be president after you?” another asked.
Throughout the four-hour press conference, questions sent by viewers appeared seemingly unfiltered on the screens of the grand conference hall.
It is unclear whether or not Mr Putin saw them.
Answering pre-selected questions, Mr Putin stressed that Western sanctions and international isolation had done little to hurt Russia’s economy or morale, two years into the offensive.
“Why is your reality different to ours?” another person asked.
Another question read: “Vladimir Vladimirovich! When will we have a better life?”
Mr Putin addressed questions from Ukrainian territory his forces occupy, including from a children’s sports team asking for a better gymnasium and broadcasting images of a decrepit facility in Crimea.
Other residents from territories Russia recently seized also expressed their grievances.
“My child and I have been living without heating for two years. No one is repairing our building. There’s no electricity,” said a resident of Severodonetsk, an eastern Ukrainian city seized in summer 2022.
“When will we be able to live in humane conditions?” AFP
