PUTIN'S PRESS PROPAGANDA: Russian president answers citizens' questions at annual press conference

PUTIN'S PRESS AND PROPAGANDA: Russian president answers citizens' questions at annual press conference
Russian President Vladimir Putin is holding his big annual press conference in Moscow today. The event combines a press conference for handpicked journalists with the TV program “Direct Line”, in which citizens can describe their problems. Topics such as the war in Ukraine, poverty and health care dominate the question and answer session, which begins at 12:00 noon local time. According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, more than a million questions have already been received. Putin uses the media spectacle to present himself as a caretaker and problem solver. Russian broadcasters plan about three hours for the event, which in the past often lasted longer. With the annual press conference, the Kremlin chief intends to address Russia's most pressing problems and present himself in a way that attracts publicity.