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| Vladimir Putin outdoes himself with 'record-making' televised Q&A | Vladimir Putin outdoes himself with 'record-making' televised Q&A |
| (4 months later) | |
| Vladimir Putin doled out parenting advice, mused on the difficulty of pork imports and compared the struggle for happiness to a massive drinking bout, in another of the marathon question and answer sessions that have become a hallmark of his authoritarian rule. | Vladimir Putin doled out parenting advice, mused on the difficulty of pork imports and compared the struggle for happiness to a massive drinking bout, in another of the marathon question and answer sessions that have become a hallmark of his authoritarian rule. |
| Sitting in a shiny studio peopled with uniformed soldiers, athletes, doctors and more, a heavily bronzed Putin held forth for four hours and 47 minutes, beating his previous record by 15 minutes. State-run media excitedly declared the event "record-making", saying citizens had sent the president more than three million questions. | Sitting in a shiny studio peopled with uniformed soldiers, athletes, doctors and more, a heavily bronzed Putin held forth for four hours and 47 minutes, beating his previous record by 15 minutes. State-run media excitedly declared the event "record-making", saying citizens had sent the president more than three million questions. |
| Putin was asked to comment on rising petrol prices, the sanctity of the country's Victory Day holiday, the potential bankruptcy of a meat factory and the identity of his favourite singer. He declined to comment on the latter, saying: "That's like asking what team you support. It seems to me it would be incorrect to speak about this." | Putin was asked to comment on rising petrol prices, the sanctity of the country's Victory Day holiday, the potential bankruptcy of a meat factory and the identity of his favourite singer. He declined to comment on the latter, saying: "That's like asking what team you support. It seems to me it would be incorrect to speak about this." |
| Questions were beamed in from across the nation. Speaking from the living room of their home in the far eastern village of Novoshakhtinsky, a family that had adopted 12 children begged the president for financial aid. One of their daughters said: "I'd like to ask you on behalf of all the kids in our family to allot us a playground." | Questions were beamed in from across the nation. Speaking from the living room of their home in the far eastern village of Novoshakhtinsky, a family that had adopted 12 children begged the president for financial aid. One of their daughters said: "I'd like to ask you on behalf of all the kids in our family to allot us a playground." |
| "I promise you, my dear, a playground," Putin replied. An hour later, a moderator announced that local authorities had promised to construct a new playground in the village. | "I promise you, my dear, a playground," Putin replied. An hour later, a moderator announced that local authorities had promised to construct a new playground in the village. |
| The highly orchestrated Q&A sessions have become the most public way for Putin to present himself as the solver of all the country's problems. "I think that this format is very useful and needed both for me and the country," Putin said. He appeared to revel in the endless attention and accepted most questions with glee. | The highly orchestrated Q&A sessions have become the most public way for Putin to present himself as the solver of all the country's problems. "I think that this format is very useful and needed both for me and the country," Putin said. He appeared to revel in the endless attention and accepted most questions with glee. |
| Putin's mood turned slightly sour when he was asked a series of questions about the recent death of Boris Berezovsky, the oligarch credited with pushing Putin into the presidency over a decade ago. The two fell out spectacularly after Putin asserted his independence, and Berezovsky spent the remainder of his life in self-imposed exile in London, where he won political asylum. | Putin's mood turned slightly sour when he was asked a series of questions about the recent death of Boris Berezovsky, the oligarch credited with pushing Putin into the presidency over a decade ago. The two fell out spectacularly after Putin asserted his independence, and Berezovsky spent the remainder of his life in self-imposed exile in London, where he won political asylum. |
| The president confirmed rumours that he had received letters from the fallen oligarch asking for forgiveness – the first in February and the second after his death last month. "The texts of both are the same," Putin said, adding that one was delivered by a Russian former associate of Berezovsky's – widely rumoured to be Roman Abramovich, the Chelsea FC owner – and the other by a foreign associate. | The president confirmed rumours that he had received letters from the fallen oligarch asking for forgiveness – the first in February and the second after his death last month. "The texts of both are the same," Putin said, adding that one was delivered by a Russian former associate of Berezovsky's – widely rumoured to be Roman Abramovich, the Chelsea FC owner – and the other by a foreign associate. |
| "He writes about how he thinks he made many mistakes, brought harm, asks to forgive him and give him the chance to return to the motherland," Putin said. He did not reply to the letters, he added. | "He writes about how he thinks he made many mistakes, brought harm, asks to forgive him and give him the chance to return to the motherland," Putin said. He did not reply to the letters, he added. |
| Putin then returned to commenting on drink-driving ("We need to make sure no one gets behind the wheel while drunk"), the price of preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi ("Not cheap!"), and the French actor Gerard Depardieu, recently granted Russian citizenship ("Gerard, he's an impulsive person"). | Putin then returned to commenting on drink-driving ("We need to make sure no one gets behind the wheel while drunk"), the price of preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi ("Not cheap!"), and the French actor Gerard Depardieu, recently granted Russian citizenship ("Gerard, he's an impulsive person"). |
| The one challenging question came from Alexey Venediktov, editor-in-chief of Echo Moskvy, Russia's leading liberal radio station, who asked about the Stalinist character of the Kremlin's recent crackdown on the opposition, including a series of political trials – against the punk band Pussy Riot, the corruption crusader Alexey Navalny, and more than 20 protesters. | The one challenging question came from Alexey Venediktov, editor-in-chief of Echo Moskvy, Russia's leading liberal radio station, who asked about the Stalinist character of the Kremlin's recent crackdown on the opposition, including a series of political trials – against the punk band Pussy Riot, the corruption crusader Alexey Navalny, and more than 20 protesters. |
| "I don't think there are any elements of Stalinism here," Putin said. "Stalinism is linked with a cult of personality and massive violations of the law, with repression and camps. There is nothing like that in Russia and, I hope, will never again be … That does not mean there should not be order and discipline." | "I don't think there are any elements of Stalinism here," Putin said. "Stalinism is linked with a cult of personality and massive violations of the law, with repression and camps. There is nothing like that in Russia and, I hope, will never again be … That does not mean there should not be order and discipline." |
| He expressed faith in Russian courts – which issue guilty verdicts in more than 99% of cases – and refused to mention Navalny by name. | He expressed faith in Russian courts – which issue guilty verdicts in more than 99% of cases – and refused to mention Navalny by name. |
| On Thursday as part of the crackdown, a Russian organisation called Golos, which monitors voting violations, became the first NGO fined under a new law requiring groups that receive foreign funding to label themselves "foreign agents". | On Thursday as part of the crackdown, a Russian organisation called Golos, which monitors voting violations, became the first NGO fined under a new law requiring groups that receive foreign funding to label themselves "foreign agents". |
| The questions widely allowed Putin to paint himself as a crusader for social justice and a mild nationalist – he called for banning hijabs in schools via the implementation of school uniforms, and a tightening of immigration controls. | The questions widely allowed Putin to paint himself as a crusader for social justice and a mild nationalist – he called for banning hijabs in schools via the implementation of school uniforms, and a tightening of immigration controls. |
| During a final lightning round of questions, Putin was asked whether he was happy: "I'm eternally grateful to fate and the citizens of Russia that they've trusted me to be the head of the Russian government. This is my whole life. If that's enough for happiness is a separate theme." | During a final lightning round of questions, Putin was asked whether he was happy: "I'm eternally grateful to fate and the citizens of Russia that they've trusted me to be the head of the Russian government. This is my whole life. If that's enough for happiness is a separate theme." |
| Finally, he was asked: "When will everything be OK?" He replied: "People here who like to drink say that it's impossible to drink all the vodka, but you have to try. Everything will probably never be OK. But we have to try for it." | Finally, he was asked: "When will everything be OK?" He replied: "People here who like to drink say that it's impossible to drink all the vodka, but you have to try. Everything will probably never be OK. But we have to try for it." |
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