Putin says some food prices in Crimea are cheaper than in neighboring Krasnodar Krai and adds that after the bridge is fully operational, he hopes prices in Crimea will stabilize and be comparable to average prices across Russia.
Moderator reads an SMS question about whether Putin would agree to exchange Russian journalist Kirill Vyshinsky, arrested in Ukriane on suspicion of "treason," for Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov, imprisoned in Russia on a terrorism conviction that supporters say was trumped up. Putin says it is outrageous to trade a "journalist" for a "terrorist." But says the fate of such exchanges depends on the authorities in Kyiv.
We are now at the four-hour mark for this year's Direct Line. If history is any guide, they should be winding things up relatively soon.
Next a teenager asks about the state system for standardized graduation tests. Says there are too many of them and it is hard to prepare for them properly. Putin punts the question to Education Minister Olga Vasilyeva, who begins with a bunch of statistics about how many students are taking exams and so on and so on and so on.
Education Minister Vasilyeva sits at a small, crowded table with a huge chair. Only decoration in her office is a Russian flag. Putin looks bored. Moderator again interrupts Vasilyeva and makes her stop talking.
Some background on Oleh Sentsov, the Ukrainian filmmaker currently on a hunger strike in a Russian prison. Putin indicated today he wouldn't exchange Sentsov for Russian state-media editor Kirill Vyshinsky, who is currently arrested in Ukraine on suspicion of "treason."
Next question comes from a village on the border with Mongolia with just 400 residents. School in the village is dilapidated and officials want to close it. Several locals point out that if the school is closed, people will leave the village. The governor of Altai Krai is listening with an annoyed expression as if he doesn't realize he is on-screen. His desk is also small and covered with papers. Nothing hangs on his wall.
Some praise for Putin's endurance from the Kremlin-loyal journalist and television host Vladimir Solovyov: "Four hours already. No signs of fatigue whatsoever."
And some recognition from the Moscow correspondent of the LA Times: