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Russian President Vladimir Putin's 12th annual press conference was staged in front of around 1,500 selected journalists in Moscow, many of whom wave signs to try to get their questions addressed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's 12th annual press conference was staged in front of around 1,500 selected journalists in Moscow, many of whom wave signs to try to get their questions addressed.

Live Blog: Putin's Annual Press Conference

The Russian president fields selected questions on domestic and international affairs, with the country showing signs it might pull out of recession in 2017 and Russia's military supporting Assad in Syria and separatists in eastern Ukraine.

-- At his press conference with selected journalists on December 23, Russian President Vladimir Putin downplayed U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's tweet on nuclear capabilities as "nothing new" but warned of the threat of a new arms race with the United States if any side develops antimissile systems.

-- Putin also paraphrased Trump on the election-hacking question, saying, "How would we know it was Russia ...[and not] someone lying on a sofa who did it?"

-- He vowed that the assassination this week of Russia's ambassador to Ankara, Andrei Karlov, would not damage Russia-Turkey ties.

-- Putin downplayed the possibility of an early Russian presidential election in 2017, saying, "It is possible, but inexpedient." He left open whether he would run for a fourth term.

-- Putin cited "reasons for optimism" on Russia's economy and an "overall positive dynamic" based on 0.6 percent economic contraction in 2016.

-- On doping in sports, Putin called it "unthinkable" that Russia had any state program for doping (despite mounting evidence in multiple reports from international athletic groups, including another damning announcement today).

* NOTE: Times are stated according to local time in Moscow (GMT/UTC +3)

12:08 23.12.2016

Next question is about whether Putin will seek another term as president in 2018. Putin says time will tell and he will make a decision based on the world situation and on what he has been able to achieve. Then he will make a decision on whether to run or not.

12:07 23.12.2016

Putin then calls for united efforts with Europe to combat terrorism and expresses sympathy over attack at Christmas market in Berlin. Asks how terrorism can be combated effectively when sanctions are in place.

12:06 23.12.2016

Putin says Russia did not initiate the worsening of Russia-EU relations. Russia did not introduce any sanctions on Western countries -- except for countersanctions. Says relations will only improve when Europe withdraws anti-Russian sanctions. Then Putin gives Russia's version of events in Ukraine in 2013-14. Talks about the "coup" in Ukraine and the annexation of the Ukrainian region of Crimea. Says Russia spent years calling for further discussion on Ukraine's Association Agreement with the EU and how it would affect Ukraine-Russian relations, but the EU refused. "Everyone knows what the result was," Putin said. "We don't consider ourselves to blame for what happened. We didn't start it." Putin then claims that even after the "coup" in Kyiv, the process of the Association Agreement has proceeded very much like Yanukovych wanted in 2013. Putin then again criticizes the process of granting visa-free travel between the EU and Ukraine. Says it would have been better to do all this quietly and through negotiations.

12:04 23.12.2016

12:02 23.12.2016
12:01 23.12.2016

Next question is from a German reporter. Asks how Putin thinks relations with the West will develop in 2017. Also, notes that Stalin's grandson died yesterday and asks Putin if Stalin is being rehabilitated in Russia.

12:01 23.12.2016
12:00 23.12.2016

Putin says his only goal is Russia's well-being. Says Russia has 85 regions and he has only appointed three members of his inner circle as governors. Says overall he has confidence in local politicians and most regions are headed by locals. He says there are cases when local elites "need to be renewed" and that demand for this comes from the local politicians. He says he makes decisions about those appointments based on the opinions of the local population.

11:57 23.12.2016

Next question: Reporter says Putin appoints members of his inner circle as heads of the executive branches in various regions of the country although they have no connections with their regions. Asks why Putin is doing this and whether he will continue doing it in the future. Don't you trust local political forces?

11:57 23.12.2016

One of Putin's remarks today that escaped a lot of radars is his saying that "foreigners" have paid "in full" for a 19.5 percent stake in Russian oil giant Rosneft.

But Max Seddon and FT are on it, including apparently seeking more information on what Seddon describes as the "murky details of its financing."

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