MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered his annual address to the nation Wednesday amid a sweeping Kremlin crackdown on opposition protests and soaring tensions with the West.
Putin began his state-of-the-nation speech by hailing the nation's response to the coronavirus pandemic. He said the quick development of three coronavirus vaccines underlined Russia's technological and industrial potential.
The Russian leader has urged authorities to quicken the pace of the country's vaccination program, which has been slow compared to the West.
He promised new measures to encourage births and to increase average life expectancy, acknowledged that the pandemic has exacerbated demographic trends in Russia.