Russians Bombard Putin with Awkward Questions in Annual Q&A

Vladimir Putin has faced the Russian public in a televised Q&A session, where he was asked about the war in Ukraine that he started and "when will our lives get better?"

The Direct Line event takes place annually, but was cancelled last year amid the war in Ukraine. For Thursday's events, citizens across the country are given the chance to submit questions, which are likely to be carefully vetted by the Kremlin.

Putin kicked off the broadcast, which typically lasts several hours, with the comment that "Russia's existence without sovereignty is simply impossible."

A poll earlier this month showed that the main topic Russians wanted to ask Putin about was when the so-called "special military operation" in Ukraine might end and this was one of the questions the president faced. "There will be peace when Russia meets its goals, which haven't changed," Putin said (via The Moscow Times).

While the event is believed to be choreographed to avoid criticism of the Kremlin, "apparently, whoever is filtering them has let some uncomfortable ones slip through," posted exiled Russian opposition figure and former tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky on X. He posted screengrabs of the digital board at the venue which displayed the questions for the president.

"When will the war end? When will there be peace in the skies? When will peace talks begin?" asked one. "Public officials have accounts and property overseas, their children study there too. Why would they care about Russia's interests, and how can they occupy such high positions?" asked another.

One question was, "tell us, when will our lives get better?" while another takes a more philosophical bent, posing to Putin, "why does your reality differ from ours?"

Other questions included: "Mr President, when will the real Russia stop being different from the one on TV?" as well as: "Hello, how can I move to the Russia they talk about on Channel One?"

Another citizen inquired: "If Crimea is part of Russia, why does my mobile network switch on roaming after crossing the bridge to Crimea?"

Viewers quizzed the president on the sanctions-hit economy, such as the question "for how long will you keep manipulating the percentage of inflation?" which follows a turbulent financial year in which prices have risen.

Putin also raised a smirk from those present when asked about the growing cost of food staples, such as eggs which one pensioner said cost up to 180 roubles ($2.45) where she lived.

Putin responded that he had spoken with his agriculture minister whom he asked how everything was with eggs. "He said everything is 'great,'" to laughter at the Russian word for eggs, "yaitsa" which is a double entendre for "testicles."