The event is taking place in a specially constructed TV studio near the Kremlin on Thursday. Footage shows a venue packed with video screens and journalists waving colourful placards in a bid to catch the president’s attention.
Last year, during the carefully choreographed press conference, addressed Russia’s heavily sanctioned economy, relations with the West and China, and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Attendees gather on the day of the annual end-of-year press conference and phone-in, in Moscow, Russia 19 December, 2024. (Photo/ Reuters/ Maxim Shemetov)The event is a chance for Putin to assert his strength on the international stage and manufacture a favourable narrative ahead of the new year.
Putin was asked a question about changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine after he changed conditions under which the country would consider using its nuclear arsenal last month.
When asked if he thought Western nations had heeded the message he said:
He also suggested a missile “duel” with the US that would show Russia’s new Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile could defeat any US missile defence system.
The weapon was first fired at Dnipro in Ukraine on November 21 in a response to Ukraine’s first use of Western weapons to strike deep into Russian territory.
War in Ukraine
“I must say that the situation is changing dramatically… There is movement along the entire front line. Every day,” he said.
“The fighting is difficult, so it is difficult and pointless to guess what lies ahead… (but) we are moving, as you said, towards solving our primary tasks, which we outlined at the beginning of the special military operation.”
Inflation at 9 per cent in economic challenges
“Everything stands and falls with the economy,” Putin told the audience, emphasising its central role in producing internal stability inside Russia.
However, Putin acknowledged challenges ahead, particularly concerning monetary policy. Russia’s central bank, which raised interest rates to 21 per cent in October, may need to implement further hikes to curb inflation.
This story is being updated.
With agencies
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