Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to deliver his 18th Address to the Federal Assembly on February 21, 2023, at the Gostiny Dvor venue in Moscow.
The annual public speech is a customary practice where the head of state addresses both chambers of the parliament. The speech assesses the country’s state of affairs and outlines the main directions of domestic and foreign policy.
The tradition of addressing the parliament was first introduced by President Boris Yeltsin from 1994-1999. Putin has addressed the Federal Assembly 17 times, with his first address in 2000 and the most recent in 2021. When Dmitry Medvedev held the office, he addressed the parliament four times from 2008-2011.
The duration of Putin’s speeches has varied, with the longest speech lasting for 1 hour and 55 minutes in 2018, while the shortest speeches were delivered in 2004 and 2005 and lasted for 48 minutes. On average, Putin’s speeches last for 1 hour and 8 minutes, while Dmitry Medvedev’s speeches last for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
The upcoming speech is highly anticipated, as it falls on the first anniversary of the Military Special Operation, which saw Russian soldiers invade Ukraine on February 24, 2022. It is hoped by some that Putin may use the address to call back the soldiers who invaded Ukraine. The full transcript of the speech will be made available on MandyNews.com tomorrow.
