-- President Vladimir Putin has faced a slew of critical questions during his annual call-in television program, Direct Line, reflecting a rise in public discontent over the handling of Russia's stagnant economy and the drop in approval ratings for the longtime leader.
-- Choreographed to portray the president as a benevolent leader who cares about the plight of ordinary Russians, the rare yearly public performance allows Putin to shift blame for much of the country's ills to local officials.
-- For the 2019 session, millions of Russians nationwide were invited to pose questions that will be selected for the live broadcast. Usually, the hand-picked questions that Putin answers are about domestic issues.
*NOTE: Times are stated according to local time in Moscow (GMT/UTC +3)