At Putin’s annual news conference, a Russian journalist pops the question — to his girlfriend

In a rare personal moment during Vladimir Putin’s annual marathon news conference Friday, a young journalist from Yekaterinburg’s Channel 4 seized the spotlight not to challenge the Russian president on policy matters, but to propose marriage to his girlfriend.

Kirill Bazhanov, sporting a distinctive red bow tie, held up a sign expressing his desire to wed during the closely watched media event. When given the floor, Bazhanov turned what is typically a forum for serious political discourse into an unexpected romantic interlude.

Putin, appearing amused by the interruption, complimented the journalist’s attire, remarking, “You’re ready to go to the registry office!” Bazhanov then extended a wedding invitation to the Russian leader, who has governed the country for a quarter century.

The impromptu proposal represented a lighthearted moment in an otherwise substantive 4.5-hour session where Putin fielded questions on pressing issues including late pension payments, stalled construction projects, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, where Russian troops have been engaged for nearly four years.

These annual end-of-year media sessions serve multiple purposes in Russian political life. While ostensibly providing a platform for journalists to question the president, they also function as carefully orchestrated spectacles that allow Putin to project authority on domestic and international matters while portraying himself as responsive to ordinary citizens’ concerns.

The format includes pre-submitted questions from Russians across the country, giving Putin opportunities to address everyday problems and cement his image as a paternal figure watching over the nation.

Later in the conference, one of the event moderators shared the news that Bazhanov’s girlfriend, Olga, had accepted his proposal. Putin responded with characteristic dry humor, suggesting that attendees collect money for the wedding.

For the hundreds of journalists packed into Moscow’s Gostinny Dvor amphitheater, the primary challenge was capturing Putin’s attention among the crowd. Many relied on colorful signs, distinctive national attire, or unusual props. One reporter brought a collection of Labubu dolls customized to resemble Russian officials and even former U.S. President Donald Trump.

The proceedings occasionally veered into the bizarre, with one journalist inquiring whether an approaching comet might actually be a UFO, reassuring the president that the Siberian city of Tyumen stood ready to welcome any extraterrestrial visitors.

Putin maintained his composure throughout most unusual moments, though security officials quickly intervened when Tajik journalist Shamsudin Boboyev attempted to approach the stage to present Putin with a book. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stepped in, instructing Boboyev to describe the gift, which would be delivered to the president later.

As the marathon session drew to a close, another personal question emerged when a journalist referenced Putin’s earlier comments about believing in love at first sight and directly asked the president if he was currently in love. Putin, who famously guards details about his private life, offered an uncharacteristically direct response: “Yes.”

These lighter exchanges, interspersed among serious policy discussions, reflect the dual nature of Putin’s annual news conferences. While providing a platform for substantive questions about Russia’s governance and international standing, they simultaneously serve as carefully managed public relations exercises that humanize the longtime leader while reinforcing his central role in Russian political life.

The event underscores Putin’s enduring approach to power, blending authoritarian governance with occasional glimpses of personality designed to maintain public connection with a leader who has dominated Russian politics since the turn of the century.