Putin gives annual address to Russia’s Federal Assembly

President Vladimir Putin is delivering his annual message to the Federal Assembly, Russia’s national legislature. The address at Gostiny Dvor in central Moscow is taking place just over two weeks ahead of the presidential vote in Russia, in which Putin is running for reelection.
The Kremlin typically doesn’t announce the exact issues which the speech is going to touch upon. Putin said earlier that “given the domestic political calendar,” it’ll be dedicated to setting tasks for the country for the next six years.
The head of state personally worked on the address, conducting dozens of meetings and phone calls with ministers and other officials, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said earlier. “The text that appears in the end is a presidential text,” he stressed.
Approximately a thousand people have been invited to hear Putin’s message in person, including lawmakers from the State Duma and the Federation Council, government ministers, governors, religious leaders, foreign diplomats and journalists. Servicemen who have taken part in the fighting against the Ukrainian forces, are also among the guests, as in the previous year.