Putin's Annual Televised Q&A Session Postponed

An elderly woman watches a TV broadcast of Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual televised question-and-answer session in 2014. (file photo)

Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual live question-and-answer session will be postponed this year, his spokesman has said.

Dmitry Peskov said on March 30 that the Direct Line televised session with Putin, which is usually held in April each year, will be held later this year, but before August.

Peskov said the delay was due to Putin's "tight schedule."

Putin's live marathon television session has been held since 2001. Initially it was held closer to the end of the year.

Since 2011, the program has been held in April. Putin usually answers carefully curated questions from ordinary Russian citizens from various cities across the country who communicate with him by e-mail, SMS, and live Internet connections. The 2016 rendition on April 14 lasted about four hours.

Together with his annual televised press conference, the Direct Line program is one of two high-profile annual public events for the Russian president.

Based on reporting by TASS and Interfax