The resumption of the traditional "direct line" with Vladimir Putin, which was canceled last year, is probably part of the upcoming election campaign of the Russian dictator.
A direct line with Putin was restored after the cancellation
On November 9, the Kremlin announced that Vladimir Putin would hold his traditional combined press conference and public phone call before the end of the year.
British intelligence recalled that the event was cancelled in 2022, probably because Russia had suffered military setbacks in Ukraine in the previous weeks.
Kremlin planners will almost certainly see the event as a key point in Putin's anticipated campaign to win a fifth term in the March 2024 presidential election. He is likely to announce his candidacy by the end of 2023.
British intelligence reports that on November 10, Putin visited the headquarters of the Southern Military District in Rostov-on-Don, where he met with Chief of the General Staff General Valery Gerasimov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
This is Putin's second visit to the headquarters in four weeks: likely a boost to his ongoing efforts to present himself as a "patriotic" candidate ahead of the election campaign.
Putin's plans for the presidency
According to official opinion polls, the Russian dictator has an approval rating of 80% of voters in Russia.
Reuters points out that the election is a formality for Putin: if he runs with the support of the state, state media and the almost complete absence of dissent in society, he will surely win.
Many foreign diplomats, spies, and officials expect Putin to remain in power for life, but so far there has been no concrete confirmation of his plans to run for president in March 2024.
Vladimir Putin has already been president longer than any other Russian ruler since Joseph Stalin.
On October 7, 2023, Putin turned 71 years old.
