Unveiling the Intricacies of Putin's Meticulously Planned Yearly News Conference

I have been given the opportunity to attend a Kremlin event for the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine. The event is a televised news conference and phone-in session hosted by Vladimir Putin. The program, titled "Results of the Year with Vladimir Putin," is being broadcasted live on all major Russian TV channels. During the event, Putin presents his perspective on world events and asserts that he is always right. When questioned about Russia's military involvement in Ukraine, Putin states that peace will only come once their goals are achieved. This time last year, Putin was facing significant pressure as the Russian army suffered losses and Ukraine began to regain territory. Consequently, last year's phone-in and news conference were canceled. However, now the Russian authorities sense a growing war fatigue, and Ukraine's counter-offensive has not had the desired impact. Putin appears increasingly confident about the situation on the battlefield. This televised event is also intended to boost his popularity before the upcoming presidential election. Text messages sent in by viewers are displayed on a giant screen, praising Putin and his leadership. However, critical texts are not addressed during the broadcast, as the event is meant to promote Putin, not question his work. The four-hour broadcast is meticulously planned, and although I am in attendance, I am not given the opportunity to ask any questions.