Putin Announces Bid for Fifth Term as Russian President

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that he will run for president again in the country's elections in March 2024, potentially extending his rule until at least 2030. This move comes after Putin signed a law in 2021 allowing him to run for two more six-year terms. The upcoming elections will also include residents of the occupied Ukrainian regions annexed by Russia, which has been condemned by the international community. Putin is expected to face minimal opposition, as under his authoritarian rule, opposition politicians have faced exile, imprisonment, or suspicious deaths. The war in Ukraine, which Russia initially expected to be short-lived, will likely continue into its second year during the elections.