The 71-year-old Putin has already served as Russia’s leader longer than anyone since Joseph Stalin.
Russian president Vladimir Putin has decided to run for next year’s presidential election, six different sources tell the Reuters news agency.
An election victory next March would mean that Putin would remain in power at least until 2030. In practice, it is clear that he will win over his opponent, because elections in Russia are not democratic.
Putin came to power Boris Yeltsin after the last day of 1999. He has already served as Russia’s leader longer than anyone else Joseph Stalin. Thus, Putin even surpasses the duration of his reign Leonid Brezhnev the 18-year season.
Putin turned 71 in October.
Reuters according to Putin feels that it is he who must lead Russia through a dangerous period. According to the sources, Putin’s advisers are now preparing the upcoming election campaign.
“The decision has been made: he will run,” one of the sources said.
Putin has not yet publicly taken a position on his candidacy, although it has been taken for granted, and the Russian constitution has already removed obstacles to his continued term.
According to Reuters, some kind of pre-planned hint about the candidacy is coming within a few weeks, the actual campaign opening later.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov declined to comment to Reuters. However, he already said in September that if Putin decided to run, no one would be able to defeat him.
The Kremlin has also vigorously rejected claims that Putin is ill.