President of Russia Vladimir Putin will turn on February 21 with a sermon to the Russian people, i.e. three days before the first anniversary of the Russian army’s invasion of Ukraineas the Kremlin announced today.

“On February 21, the President of the Russian Federation will address the Federal Assembly” (which consists of the State Duma – the lower house and the Federation Council – the upper house), said the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov reporters, adding that the speech would deal with the “current situation”, including Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine and the socio-economic situation in Russia.

Peskov said the speech would take place at Gostiny Dvor, a conference hall near Red Square in central Moscow.

Traditionally Vladimir Putin delivers the annual Appeal to the Nation to the Russian parliamentarians, in which he sums up the results of the past year and sets new strategic directions.

However in 2022, the performance was canceled due to the attack of the Russian military on Ukraine.

Today, Dmitry Peskov said that Russian military personnel participating in the operation in Ukraine will “definitely” be invited to speak on February 21.

When asked whether foreign journalists would be accredited in the hall where the Russian president would speak, the Kremlin spokesman replied: “There is no such decision at the moment, we will inform you.”

Source: APE-MPE-AFP.