MOSCOW (dpa-AFX) – As expected, Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin has announced his renewed candidacy in the Russian presidential election next year. Russian state media reported this on Friday. At a ceremony in the Kremlin to honor the “Heroes of Russia”, Putin announced his intention to run for the fifth time in the election on March 17, 2024, at the request of military officials. The 71-year-old had the Russian constitution changed specifically in order to be able to run again. The Central Election Commission had previously officially confirmed the date for the vote.
According to representatives of the Russian state media, the news of Putin’s renewed candidacy was brought by Artyom Shoga, an official from the Moscow-occupied Ukrainian region of Donetsk. The native Ukrainian, who had actively fought on the Russian side against Kiev’s troops, asked Putin to let the people in the annexed areas also take part in the election.