President Putin’s highly choreographed Q&A session went largely as expected, giving him a chance to show he’s in control and listening to the people.
The questions were handpicked to avoid anything awkward – and ranged from talking tough on Ukraine to addressing concerns about egg prices, and even speaking to an AI version of himself.
However, a few text messages from viewers flashed up on screens that appeared a bit too close to the bone to put to Mr Putin.
Here are a few of them, caught by reporters in the studio:
‘Make peace, deaths are unacceptable’
‘Time to call it a day’
‘Don’t run for another term – let the young try’
‘Real help for ordinary people’
‘When will the life of ordinary people be better not in words, but in deeds?’
‘Praying for a miracle’
‘I understand that there are no miracles, but I want one’
‘Who’s helping us in Russia?’
‘Emergencies ministry plane flew humanitarian aid to Gaza, who will help us in Russia?’
‘When will the war end?
‘When will the special military operation end?’
‘Why can’t we look after our soldiers?
‘Why do mostly civilian volunteers provide for the soldiers at the special military operation? Is the MoD not capable of doing that?’
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