00:00 Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his candidacy for the presidential election
00:05 2024 held in March, signalling his intention to prolong his control over the country for
00:09 another six years.
00:12 Despite the ongoing war in Ukraine and internal dissent, Putin remains in a strong position
00:16 to secure a comfortable victory.
00:19 Despite initiating a costly war in Ukraine and facing internal attacks that even targeted
00:24 the Kremlin, Putin maintains significant support after ruling for nearly a quarter-century.
00:29 Recent events, like the short-lived rebellion led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, sparked speculation
00:34 about Putin's grip weakening.
00:36 However, emerging unscathed from this incident, along with Prigozhin's subsequent mysterious
00:42 death in a plane crash, reinforced the perception of Putin's absolute authority.
00:48 Putin revealed his decision to run for the presidency during a Kremlin awards ceremony,
00:52 as reported by TASS and RIA Novosti state news agencies.
00:56 About 80% of the population approves of his leadership, according to the independent pollster
01:00 Levada Center.
01:01 This support might stem from genuine sentiment or from a populace constrained by the severe
01:06 crackdown on opposition, where even mild criticism poses risks.
01:10 Expected to face nominal opposition in the elections, Putin 71 has previously manipulated
01:15 constitutional amendments twice to potentially extend his rule until his mid-80s.
01:20 He holds the record for the longest-serving Kremlin leader since Joseph Stalin.
01:23 In 2008, he transitioned to prime minister due to term limits, but retained significant
01:28 influence.
01:29 Later, he extended presidential terms to six years from four and reset term limits with
01:34 a series of amendments positioning himself for potential continued power until 2024 and
01:38 beyond.
01:40 Presidential elections will be held in Russia on 15–17 March 2024.
01:43 If no candidate receives more than half the vote, a second round will take place exactly
01:47 three weeks later, on 7 April 2024.
01:50 The winner of the election is scheduled to be declared on 7 May 2024.
02:04 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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