Putin makes first public appearance since announcing bid for fifth presidential term, visits shipyard for commissioning of nuclear submarines

On December 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first public appearance since Friday, when he announced his plans to seek a fifth presidential term.

Putin arrived to the Sevmash shipyard in the city of Severodvinsk in Russia’s Arkhangelsk region, Russian state news agency Interfax reports. The Russian President participated in a flag-raising ceremony for the Krasnoyarsk nuclear submarine and the Imperator Aleksandr III nuclear submarine.

Putin said that the Krasnoyarsk and Imperator Aleksandr III submarines would soon join the Pacific Fleet. He added that three more Borei-A class submarines and five Yasen-M class submarines were under construction at the Sevmash shipyard.