Putin cancels traditional plans: no ice hockey on Red Square or annual address to Russian Parliament
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has cancelled his traditional New Year's Eve plans and won’t be playing ice hockey on Red Square this year. He has also cancelled his press conference and address to Russia’s Federal Assembly.
Source: Kremlin-aligned news outlet RIA Novosti
Details: Dmitry Peskov, the Russian dictator’s spokesman, reported that Putin is not planning to play ice hockey on Red Square this New Year's Eve.
He also said the Kremlin was tired of being asked about the address and suggested that people stop reading tea leaves.
Quote: "My colleagues say the address may take place next year, and there have also been reports that it may be in writing.
No, it’s never in writing. As for these reports that it might be next year, of course it might be."
Details: Peskov did not, however, explain the reason for the cancellation of Putin's traditional plans.
Putin has also cancelled the media Q&A that he has been holding annually since 2001.
The last time Putin appeared in public was on 9 December, when he attended a press conference in Kyrgyzstan.
Background:
- On 12 December, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that there will be no big end-of-year press conference in 2022, although Putin may still talk to a Kremlin-selected pool of propaganda reporters. There is speculation in the media that one of the reasons for cancelling the event is "the situation on the front line".
- The Russian president’s end-of-year press conference has taken place every December since 2012.
- The UK’s Defence Intelligence has suggested that the Kremlin decided not to hold Putin’s traditional end-of-year press conference in order to avoid any possible expression of public discontent about the "special military operation" [the Russian way of describing the war in Ukraine – ed.].
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