Putin says ‘it’s not my job’ to create rivals for Russia’s 2018 election

VLADIMIR PUTIN yesterday dismissed Russia’s political opposition as immature and unable to offer an alternative to his rule at an annual press conference before he stands for reelection in March

During the meeting, which lasted just under four hours, Mr Putin also continued to position himself as the West’s main geopolitical foe, suggesting Russia’s assertive role in the Syria and Ukraine conflicts would be a major talking point ahead of the vote.

“It’s not my job to raise competitors,” Mr Putin said when asked why he had no serious challengers in the race. He later said: “Is it up to me to form the opposition myself?... I think in politics, as in the economy, there should be competition. I will strive for this.”

His almost certain win – 75 per cent of Russians say they will vote for him – means he will have been in power for 24 years, comparable to the length of Joseph Stalin’s rule.

Despite the campaign rallies that Alexei Navalny has been holding in cities across the country, the opposition leader has been barred from running owing to a politically tainted embezzlement conviction. The opposition “needs to present real issues that people will believe in” and not just “make noise in the streets,” Mr Putin said in an oblique reference to widespread protests held by Mr Navalny.

Mr Putin declined to present a platform, however, only saying in general terms that he wanted to raise incomes and develop infrastructure, healthcare, education and high tech.

“This is what the non-parliamentary opposition is offering, Vladimir Vladimirovich,” Mr Navalny tweeted in response, linking to the electoral platform he had published on Wednesday. “You’re just trying hard not to notice.”

Mr Putin avoided saying Mr Navalny’s name, even when asked directly about the activist’s absence from the election. That question came from Ksenia Sobchak, the “Russian Paris Hilton”, a television host who has said she will run against Mr Putin. She has been accused of helping the Kremlin to liven up the predictable election.

The press conference provided a rare chance to ask Mr Putin a question, but only two Western media outlets were selected from among the crowd of journalists yelling for attention.

A record 1,640 reporters registered this year, although not all were actually journalists. After a long rant about fish prices, one questioner admitted he was actually the head of a fish processing plant in Murmansk.

The misdeeds of the West were a recurring theme. Addressing the International Olympic Committee’s decision last week to ban Russia from the 2018 Winter Olympics for systematic doping, Mr Putin argued that Russia was the victim of double standards. He said Moscow would bring civil lawsuits to “defend the honour” of its athletes banned for doping violations.

Asked about the investigations of Donald Trump’s alleged collusion with Russia, Mr Putin praised Trump’s domestic policies and called the accusations “spy mania” that was “made up” by the US president’s political enemies.

He also said the United States had “provoked” North Korea to develop nuclear arms.