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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)

11:46 23.12.2016

Next question is about the new "patriotism" of Russia and whether Putin is worried about various conservative vigilantes carrying out actions under the banner of "patriotism."

11:49 23.12.2016

Putin says the government supports patriotism -- there is no other unifying foundation. However, "hooligans are hooligans" and the state has to deal with "the foam that forms on the wave" of patriotism. However, Putin says there should be some sort of "internal self-limitation" in society so that people don't offend others. Discusses recent protests in Omsk against a production of the musical Jesus Christ Superstar. Emphasizes that the producers themselves cancelled the show and no one forced them to. Calls for dialogue within society.

11:50 23.12.2016
11:50 23.12.2016

Next question: reporter notes there are only three hospices for children in the entire country of Russia. Asks if more can be done.

11:50 23.12.2016
11:51 23.12.2016

Putin says government supports social efforts to help sick children and he recently gave a state award to someone working in this sphere. Says more can and should be done.

11:53 23.12.2016
11:54 23.12.2016

Next question is about child abuse. Putin says beating children can't be "justified by any traditions." "There are other ways to raise children," he says.

11:56 23.12.2016
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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