Spoiler Alert: Kremlin Spokesman Predicts Next Russian President to be ‘The Same’

In an interview with the MGIMO 360 student information channel, Putin's spokesman, Dmitriy Peskov, has unraveled the enigma of Russia's next president.

When asked about what the next president should be like, he was straightforward: "The same. Or different, but the same."

He added that so far Vladimir Putin has not announced that he will run for a new presidential term.

"But I sincerely want to believe that he will do it. I have no doubt that he will win the election, I have no doubt that he will continue to be our president. And it remains to be seen," the Kremlin spokesman said.

Despite not yet declaring his intention to take part in the March 2024 presidential election, recent media reports suggest preparations for what will almost certainly be a successful campaign for President Putin are already underway.

The Kommersant business daily news site reported on Monday that the Kremlin has begun compiling a list of influential figures that would form a “surrogate initiative group” to support his campaign.

Citing several anonymous sources familiar with the matter, the news agency suggests that Putin, rather than aligning himself with the ruling United Russia party, will run as an independent as he did in 2018.

Another source said that “He’s a president for all,” adding that his support will “transcend party politics.”

Kommersant goes on to say that those being considered all have “positive” reputations and “influence among their audience.”

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Officially, Putin himself has said he that would announce whether or not he would run for a fifth term in office once the country's parliament formally calls a presidential election in December.

The student information channel MGIMO 360 is based on the site of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (University) of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The channel covers various youth events at the university and beyond, creates entertainment content on various topics and publishes interviews. Since May 2021, the channel’s correspondents, have been allowed to cover working visits by Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov.