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Kremlin declines to comment on PM Medvedev’s possible presidential bid

The presidential election campaign is expected to officially kick off in December

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev Dmitry Astakhov/Russian Government Press Office/TASS

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev

© Dmitry Astakhov/Russian Government Press Office/TASS

MOSCOW, November 16. /TASS/. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday he could not comment on the speculation that Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev might participate in the presidential elections in March 2018.

"Perhaps, it is necessary to ask Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev about that. Actually, Dmitry Anatolyevich was asked this question yesterday [on Wednesday] and he answered it," Peskov said in response to a request to comment on the speculation circulated in some Telegram channels that the head of the Russian government might nominate his candidacy for the president’s office.

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"I cannot answer your question. I do not know how to answer it," Peskov said in response to a request to specify whether Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev had discussed the possibility of the premier’s participation in the presidential election.

"I am only urging you, after all, to keep common sense, wisdom and irony while reading Telegram-channels," the Kremlin spokesman said.

The Russian presidential election campaign is expected to officially kick off on December 7-17 and the vote will be held on March 18. Russian President Vladimir Putin has not yet stated his decision to participate in the election or said he intended to be nominated. The following people have already announced their intention to run for presidency: LDPR leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Yabloko leader Grigory Yavlinsky, Communists of Russia leader Maxim Suraikin, political expert and head of the Social Technologies Center Andrei Bogdanov, TV host Ksenia Sobchak and singer and human rights activist Yekaterina Gordon.

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Vladimir Putin Dmitry Medvedev Dmitry Peskov Russia's domestic policy

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