Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to run in presidential elections next March, according to news reports on Friday, extending the Kremlin leader’s decades-long hold on power.
Following an awards ceremony for army personnel at the Kremlin, Putin informed Lieutenant Colonel Artyom Zhoga, a Russian military officer, of his decision to participate in the upcoming vote.
“We are overjoyed that the president listened to our request that he run. “He has the support of the entire Russian people,” Zhoga was quoted as saying by the state-run news agency RIA Novosti.
Putin, on the other hand, has yet to make a formal announcement that he will run in the March 15-17 election next year.
“Our President has never avoided, and will never avoid, responsibility.”
Valentina Matvienko, the head of Russia’s upper house of parliament, stated, “decisions.”
“And today he confirmed it once more. “He confirmed that at a historic decision and a historic challenge,” she added.
Analysts predict that Putin will face no major challengers and will seek as large a mandate as possible to mask domestic discontent over the Ukraine conflict.
