Answers from the President

Last week, President Putin held his traditional annual phone-in Question and Answer session, which was broadcast live by Russian government-controlled TV and radio stations.

This year a series of independent Russian media analysed Putin’s speech: Independent investigative website The Insider ran an article covering also the claim that Mr Roldugin spent the funds in his offshore account on musical instruments, reminding readers that the Panama papers reveal where the money had actually been spent.

Independent, internet-based Slon ran the headline “Checking language. Putin’s 15 mistakes during his Q&A.”

“I wish for no one to be criticized by the President.”
One of the errors resulted in an official correction from Putin’s spokesman Peskov who apologized for the President’s claim that Süddeutsche Zeitung should be owned by Goldman Sachs.

In Vladimir Soloviev’s Sunday night talk show, Peskov took responsibility for the mistake having found its ways into the President’s briefing note, adding that the mistake led to “trouble” with his boss: “I wish for no one to be criticized by the President.”

On a less critical note, government-owned news wire RIA Novosti published an article about the international coverage of Putin’s Questions & Answers. RIA asks rhetorically if western leaders are capable of such long live media appearances (the Q&A lasted three hours and 39 minutes, and the president answered a total of 80 questions) and suggests that it is an indication of Russian democracy.

“Daddy says only Putin can handle those Americans”
With more than 20 stories, Sputnik also thoroughly reflected the phone-in.

Its coverage of the event started with advance advertisement and continued with an overview immediately after the session.

The centrepiece of its coverage is a live blog, where Sputnik covers the softer and more emotional side of the conversation, including a child’s question whether a women can become president of Russia, “because daddy says only Putin can handle those Americans”.

A full readout of Putin’s Q&A is available on the official Kremlin website. (Image: Sputnik)