Russian state TV is celebrating a media spectacle: Vladimir Putin’s show “The Direct Line”. The most important statements in the live blog.
Vladimir Putin is holding his big annual press conference on Thursday. This year, the question and answer session for journalists will be linked to the TV show “The Direct Wire”. This format is intended to give citizens the opportunity to ask their head of state questions. But it is an open secret that no question answered by Putin is random. There will be no average citizens in the room. It is a staged spectacle intended to strengthen Putin’s reputation as father of the nation and “good tsar.”
10:54 a.m: Russian viewers notice not only that Putin’s speech is interrupted by his famous cough, but also that he has a lisp. There are also comments about a supposed asymmetry of his face. This became increasingly noticeable during his long defense of the Russian Oreshnik medium-range missile. The international criticism of the supposed miracle weapon is apparently still bothering Putin. He spent several minutes protecting the new rocket.
10:42 a.m: An alleged resident of the Kursk region is brought into the studio. She asks when she and other residents can return to their villages and towns. “I can’t give a specific date,” Putin replies. “Our boys are fighting at this moment. (…) We will definitely drive them away again. I can’t give a date. But of course there are plans. If I give a date, then they will know immediately” – Putin means here the Ukrainian armed forces. “But everything will be restored,” Putin promises: from schools to roads.
10:35 a.m: The editor-in-chief of the Tass news agency starts his appearance with a big thank you to the president. Then the Russian propagandist asks the crucial question of this event: “How do you assess the course of the special military operation? And are we closer to victory?” Putin does not answer the question directly. Instead, a rehearsed performance follows: assistants bring a flag that displays the insignia of all the units that, according to Putin, are “currently at the front.” The Kremlin chief continued: “Our fighters are making progress everywhere. They are fighting back our territories everywhere.” Putin claims that this corresponds to a classic military strategy. “The capabilities of our armed forces are growing.” Putin stumbles badly at this point.
Putin does not make any concrete statements about his chances of victory. He also makes no promises about the situation in Russia’s Kursk region.
10:25 a.m: National feeling has been “eradicated” in Germany. “They feel like Europeans. And not Germans.” Putin sees this as the reason for the poor economic situation not only in Germany, but throughout Europe. For Russia, however, “national sovereignty” is crucial – just as it is for the growth of the Russian economy.
10:20 a.m: First, Putin takes a digression into the economy. He rattles off well-rehearsed numbers. In contrast to Europe, Russia is experiencing strong economic growth, claims the Kremlin boss. Listing numbers seems to reassure and reassure Putin. They give him security. After a somewhat bumpy start, he finds his line.
10:13 a.m: Putin arrives at the state TV studio 13 minutes late. The presenter’s first question can’t be summed up other than: How do you manage to stay so great?
10:07 a.m: Unusually late. Vladimir Putin is a long time coming. The delay is unusual for the Kremlin leader for such an important live event.
9:58 a.m: The Putin show is expected to last around four hours this year.
9:37 a.m: There has been immense advertising for the Putin show on Russian state TV in recent weeks. The quotas should be raised.
