According to international news on the 6th (local time), including Reuters, President Putin is reported to have already decided to run for the upcoming presidential election, with his close associates already mobilizing for campaign efforts and election preparations.
In particular, Reuters reported that with the support of the state and state media, President Putin’s approval rating is approaching 80%, suggesting that next year’s election may merely be a formality.
However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed such reports, stating, “President Putin has not issued any statement related to this matter, nor has there been any announcement about the official start of an election campaign.”
Should President Putin be reelected in next year’s election, he would maintain his regime until 2030.
Since inheriting the presidency from a suddenly resigned Boris Yeltsin on December 31, 1999, except for four years from 2008 to 2012 when he handed over the presidency to his confidant, Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council, Putin has steadfastly maintained an autocratic regime.
He has already surpassed the 18-year tenure of Leonid Brezhnev, Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. He is the longest-ruling president in Russia since Joseph Stalin, who held power for about 30 years.
Meanwhile, the Russian presidential election is scheduled for March 24 of next year.
By. Jeon Min Seok
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