Putin Announces 2024 Presidential Run at Behest of Soldiers

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Friday that he will be running for re-election in 2024.

Putin made the announcement during an event at the Kremlin after Artem Zhoga, commander of the Sparta Battalion, a pro-Russian armed group operating in eastern Ukraine, requested him to go to the polls, Russian daily newspaper Kommersant reported.

"Yes, I will," Putin replied.

Putin was presenting Gold Star medals to Heroes of Russia on the eve of the Heroes of the Fatherland Day at the St. George Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow.

Putin, 71, who has been in power since 2000, was long expected to announce his bid for another term as president. Following constitutional changes orchestrated by the Russian leader prior to the war in Ukraine, he may remain in power until 2036.

If re-elected, it would be Putin's fifth term as Russian president.

"At the front everyone was worried, wondering whether Putin will run," Zhoga was quoted by state-run news agency RIA Novosti as saying. "We are very glad that the president heard our request for nomination, all of Russia supports him."

"Putin said that there are good and bad times, but today he's with the [Russian] people," Zhoga added.

"Our president makes decisions without hesitation, he is always confident in his actions, in his decisions, in his words."

Russia's Central Election Commission is set to hold a meeting on Friday on the presidential campaign. Newsweek has contacted Russia's Foreign Ministry for comment by email.

On Thursday, Russian lawmakers set next year's presidential election for March 17, 2024. It marks "the start of the election campaign," Valentina Matviyenko, the chairwoman of Russia's Federation Council (upper house of parliament), said.

Matviyenko said Friday after Putin's announcement: "Putin's statement about his candidacy is based on the interests of the country and its citizens."

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov had urged the public this week to be patient when questioned about whether Putin has decided to seek reelection.

"Putin will announce it when he deems it necessary and expedient, it will be entirely his decision," Peskov said on Thursday.

Peskov added that "in his work Putin has always relied and continues to rely on the support of the people, pursuing the main goal: improving the welfare and living standards of our people."

"And, of course, there is no doubt that direct communication with people works constantly for the president."

In August, Peskov was quoted as saying that Russia's presidential election is "not really democracy" and forecast a 90 percent victory for Putin next year.

"Our presidential election is not really democracy; it is costly bureaucracy," Peskov told The New York Times in an article published on August 6. "Mr. Putin will be reelected next year with more than 90 percent of the vote."

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Update: 12/08/2023 at 7:00 a.m.: This article was updated with additional information.

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