Putin's Press Conference: A Circus of Direct Questions and Sarcasm

President Vladimir Putin's annual press conference featured moments of absurdity and candid questions from ordinary Russians. While the focus was on Ukraine, attendees posed offbeat and sarcastic questions. The Kremlin uses this event to demonstrate Putin's attentiveness, though some messages criticized the event and the Russian government's operations.

President Vladimir Putin's annual press conference on Friday turned heads not only for its lengthy duration but also for the odd and candid questions flung by ordinary Russians via text messages. Sarcastic remarks and unusual inquiries kept the event lively amid discussion on Russia's actions in Ukraine.

Putin fielded questions about extraterrestrial life and issues like monuments for Persian poets. A proposal happened live, under Putin's watch, as a student asked for more support for young families. The Kremlin presents this event as evidence of Putin's connection with the public, with over 2.5 million questions sent in this year.

However, criticisms were evident, with messages shown highlighting internet outages and governmental censorship. Despite criticism, the event is a well-controlled PR performance with millions viewing. Putin did not address negative comments, staying the course even as questions highlighted dissatisfaction with the state of the country's economy and governance.

(With inputs from agencies.)