Date for Putin’s annual Federal Assembly address announced

Russian President Vladimir Putin will deliver his annual message to the Federal Assembly, the country’s main legislative body, on February 21, the Kremlin announced on Friday, noting that the address will be devoted to a wide range of current issues.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the president intends to touch on a number of topics such as the ongoing military operation in Ukraine, as well as economic and social issues.

The Federal Assembly is Russia’s parliament, which consists of the lower house, the State Duma, as well as the Federation Council, the upper house. Under Russian law, the president is obliged to deliver an annual address to parliament, outlining the state and welfare of the federation and establishing guidelines for its domestic and foreign policies.

Peskov noted that it has yet to be determined if the Kremlin will accredit foreign journalists for the presidential address, adding that a decision would be announced at a later date.

Putin’s last address to the Federal Assembly took place in April 2021, while the 2022 event was skipped. As explained by the president himself, the 2022 address was dropped due to the unpredictable and dynamic nature of events during the period when Russia launched its offensive against Ukraine.