Vladimir Putin found himself facing unexpected challenges at his annual end-of-year press conference, as questions about the perceived “reality” of Russia were prominently displayed on screens throughout the venue.
The event, taking place in Moscow, allowed ordinary citizens the unique opportunity to pose questions to Putin, in addition to inquiries from journalists. Over the past two weeks, citizens submitted a staggering 2 million questions for the Russian president, as reported by state media.
Questions in text form were also sent via SMS, and although Putin did not directly address them, they were projected onto screens mounted on the walls of the conference hall.
This unconventional approach, however, revealed a divergence from the meticulously orchestrated nature of the press conference, designed more as a spectacle than a platform for critical scrutiny.
Among the displayed messages challenging the official narrative, one boldly questioned Putin’s version of “reality” compared to the daily experiences of ordinary citizens: “Why is your ‘reality’ at odds with our lived reality?”
The unexpected inquiry underscored a departure from the scripted nature of the event, injecting an element of unpredictability into the proceedings.
Another citizen asked: “When will the real Russia be the same as the one on TV?”
Echoed by someone else who said: “Hello. When will it be possible to move to the Russia which they tell us about on Channel One?’
Criticism of Putin’s strategies in Ukraine surfaced in a message that questioned: “Can you win a war while being in ‘active defence’?”
Another message highlighted the escalating grocery prices in Russia, saying: “Cucumbers cost 900 roubles per kilo, tomatoes 950 roubles. It costs me 1,500 roubles to make a salad. I won’t even mention fruit. Make the prices normal!”
Several questions on the screens also revolved around the increasing cost of gas, with one specifically targeting Russia’s state-owned energy giant, Gazprom.
“We gave gas to China, we gave gas to Europe. When will there be Gas in Khakassia?,” one asked.
Seemingly unfazed by the messages, Putin neither displayed any concern nor directly responded to them. Instead, he focused on discussing his ongoing invasion, emphasising that Moscow’s objectives, namely ‘de-Nazification, de-militarisation, and a neutral status’ for Ukraine, remain steadfast.
