Putin's next live call-in show might put governors and cabinet officials on the spot

Regional officials have reportedly been warned that they better be at the office on June 7, when Vladimir Putin holds his next marathon live call-in show. Sources tell the magazine RBC that this year’s show will feature live conference calls with governors and members of his cabinet.

The president will reportedly turn to the new format when he wants to discuss a particular complaint submitted by a member of the public. (In these call-in shows, Putin spends hours answering citizen-submitted questions with encyclopedic expertise.)

The BBC’s Russian-language service previously reported that this year’s call-in show would be the first in a decade to ditch a live studio audience. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later confirmed that this year’s show would adopt “technical innovations,” but he didn’t offer any details.