Putin’s annual press conference to take place on December 17

Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold his annual press conference on December 17, the Kremlin’s website says.

Due to the challenging epidemiological situation, the news conference will be held in the videoconference format this time, which the President will join from his Novo-Ogaryovo residence. Members of national federal and foreign media will be invited to the same World Trade Centre’s conference hall as in previous years.

Journalists from regional media will participate in the news conference from their respective federal districts. Special video link platforms will be set up in every district.

The number of journalists allowed to participate in the press conference will be limited according to the requirements of the federal public health authority, Rospotrebnadzor.

A list of accredited journalists is set to be released on December 11, along with the addresses for the video link platforms. Journalists can apply for accreditation between November 29 and December 2.

• In September, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced that Putin wouldn’t be hosting his annual call-in show on television this year. Peskov maintained that Putin’s multiple addresses in recent months basically constituted a “direct line” and that carrying out the marathon call-in show in its traditional format would be “excessive.”