Putin says he hopes to eventually name a successor, urges Russians to get vaccinated against Covid-19

‘A time will come when, I hope, I can say that such and such a person is worthy in my opinion of leading such a wonderful country,’ he said

Russian president also claimed the US was last week involved in an incident involving a British destroyer off the coast of Moscow-annexed Crimea

Reading Time:3 minutes

Russian President Vladimir Putin during his annual live call-in show in Moscow. Photo: AP

Published: 9:14pm, 30 Jun 2021Updated: 9:32pm, 30 Jun 2021

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said the time would come when he would name his possible successor in the Kremlin, but said the choice would ultimately lie with voters.

Putin, 68, has been in power as president or prime minister since the turn of the century. His current six-year term in the Kremlin is due to end in 2024 and his remarks are being closely parsed for clues as to whether he plans to extend his rule.

Russia changed its constitution last year at Putin’s behest allowing him to run for two more six-year terms in the Kremlin, and potentially remain president until 2036.

The Kremlin is at a delicate political juncture with its relations with the West badly strained and its oil-dependent economy emerging from the pandemic with high inflation and a weak rouble, sensitive issues for voters.

Russia holds parliamentary elections in September that are seen as a dry run for the 2024 presidential election. In the run-up, authorities have cracked down hard on the opposition and outlawed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny’s network as “extremist”.

“A time will come when, I hope, I can say that such and such a person is worthy in my opinion of leading such a wonderful country like Russia, our homeland,” Putin said.