MOSCOW, December 8. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to announce his presidential run at today’s ceremony honoring Heroes of the Fatherland Day was spontaneous, Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said.

When asked whether it was planned that Putin would announce running for another term of office at today’s ceremony, the Kremlin spokesman said, "He was asked a [corresponding] question and he answered it." "Yes, it was an absolutely spontaneous decision," he added.

"On the other hand, he (Putin - TASS) responded to the request from these heroic people (participants in the Heroes of the Fatherland Day ceremony - TASS). So, it was his response to people’s requests," Peskov noted.

Earlier in the day, Putin announced his intention to run for Russian president at the 2024 election after being asked a relevant question by speaker of the DPR (Donetsk People’s Republic) parliament Artyom Zhoga during a meeting with attendees at a Kremlin-hosted ceremony honoring Heroes of the Fatherland Day. Putin’s current office term expires on May 7, 2024. The presidential election has been scheduled for March 17, 2014.