Putin to Run for Re-Election in 2024, Confirms State Media

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced his intention to seek re-election in March 2024, potentially allowing him to remain in power until 2030, as reported by state news agency TASS on Friday. The announcement came after a ceremony at the Kremlin, the official residence of the Russian president.

Putin will seek his fifth presidential term in the upcoming elections scheduled for March 17, 2024, in an effort to further establish his long-standing control as the head of state or prime minister for over twenty years.

Additionally, the upcoming elections will be significant as they will be the first time residents of the occupied Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, which were annexed by Russia during the conflict, will take part in the presidential elections.

The local elections in these regions, organized by Russian-backed officials, were previously condemned by the international community as a sham. There has been no official statement from the Kremlin on Putin's candidacy.

This is a developing story and will be updated.