3 April 2017, 00:45 GMT
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Vladimir Putin’s annual "direct line" Q&A call-in session has been postponed because of the Russian president's schedule and not because of other factors, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday.
"This version does not have a plausible look at all. Decisions on later dates for holding the direct line were adopted probably about two months ago, long before these actions which took place a week ago," Peskov told reporters.
He asserted that "there is no ideological or other background" in the decision.
Peskov said Thursday that Putin's annual "direct line" would be held after April and before August.
Earlier in the day, Russian media reported that the "direct line" may be coincided with the Russia Day, the national holiday celebrated on June 12, or with the Children’s Day on June 1.
The first "direct line" was held on December 24, 2001. The one in 2013 broke the record lasting for 4 hours and 47 minutes. In 2004 and 2012, the event was not held. The 2016 televised phone conference lasted for 3 hours and 40 minutes and Putin answered 80 questions.
