Putin to run for re-election

Russian President Vladimir Putin said today he would run in the March 2004 presidential election.

Putin made his widely-expected announcement during a televised question-and-answer session with the Russian people in Moscow.

A woman in the southern Russian region of Krasnodar asked about Putin’s plans for re-election.

Putin said he had planned to make the official announcement within the next few days, but since so many people had expressed interest in questions collected ahead of time, he said his answer was “positive”.

“I will be a candidate,” Putin said. “In time I will make an official announcement on this.”