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Putin to Host Call-In Show Next Week

The Kremlin announced Thursday that President Vladimir Putin's televised annual call-in show would be held on April 25, a statement published on the Kremlin's website said.

Those who want to ask Putin a question may either call the show's telephone center, send an SMS, or leave a message on the show's website. The telephone line will start operating on April 21 at 12 p.m. The statement did not specify a website address, however.

Not all of the questions received will be asked, the statement warns, nothing that the most interesting and burning question on political, economic and social issues will be chosen.

Three federal TV channels — Channel One, Rossia 1 and Rossia 24 — as well as Mayak, Vesti FM and Radio Rossiya radio stations will have a live broadcast of the show.

The call-in show, which has been held since 2001, is one of Putin's favorite ways to communicate with Russians. It hasn't been held since 2012 though, when it was substituted by a large news conference.

The last show took place in December 2011 after the Duma elections, which caused a wave of protests. During that show, Putin criticized the opposition movement and said he'd mistaken the opposition symbol — a white ribbon — for a condom.

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