Putin to give ‘state of the union’ address on Feb. 29
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his annual address to the Federal Assembly, on April 21, 2021 in Moscow, Russia.
Konstantin Zavrazhin | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Russian President Vladimir Putin will present his “state of the union” address to Russia’s Federal Assembly on Feb. 29, Russian news agencies reported Tuesday.
The annual address to Russian lawmakers, in which the president sets out his assessment of the country and goals for the future to Russia’s parliament, has traditionally taken place around this week in February. But this year, it is set to take place after the second anniversary (on Feb. 24) of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The address is expected to form a key part of Putin’s re-election campaign ahead of the vote on March 15-17.
The presidential elections are coming at a time when Russia has celebrated recent victories on the battlefield in Ukraine, most recently with the capture of the industrial city of Avdiivka in Donetsk, and is looking to profit from Western indecision and uncertainty over continued military support for Ukraine.
The vote will also take place in the shadow of the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny last week, however. Western leaders have accused Putin of being responsible for the death of his political nemesis. The Kremlin denies any involvement.
— Holly Ellyatt
Russia detains dual US-Russian citizen for treason, media reports
Russia’s Federal Security Service has detained a woman with dual Russian-U.S. citizenship in the Urals mountain city of Yekaterinburg on suspicion of treason for raising funds for Ukraine’s armed forces, the TASS news agency reported.
The 33-year-old resident of Los Angeles had been collecting funds for a Ukrainian organization whose ultimate beneficiary was the Ukrainian army, the FSB said, according to TASS.
A police car goes past the headquarters of the Federal Security Service (FSB).
Alexander Nemenov | Afp | Getty…
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