Putin attributed the fulfillment of Zhirinovsky's predictions to the politician's erudition

Former LDPR leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky was not a predictor, but a real expert on the Middle East, which explains the fulfillment of his prophecies. On December 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during the "Results of the Year".

"I was naturally well acquainted with Vladimir Wolfovich. He was not a predictor, he was not a prognosticator, he liked epatage, enjoyed spectacularly doing it, but he was a man very erudite and very well prepared. He was a specialist in the Middle East," Putin noted.

The Russian leader added that Zhirinovsky's predictions should have been seen precisely as forecasts based on the analysis and experience he had as an expert.

In 2019, Zhirinovsky said on a talk show that the most dramatic events would unfold not in Ukraine, but in the Middle East. It is there that the most bloody armed conflict will erupt.

The direct line with Vladimir Putin in 2024 is combined with a press conference for the media. The format called "Results of the Year with Vladimir Putin" allows the president to convey his position not only on citizens' issues, but also on the state and world agenda, which is often asked by journalists. Representatives of Western media and foreign journalists accredited in Russia have also received invitations to the events.

As of the morning of December 19, the number of requests sent to the direct line with the president exceeded 2 million. The first live broadcast was held in December 2001. By the President's own admission, this event is the most powerful sociological poll, which allows citizens to convey their position and assessment of the country's leadership.

The latest news about the "Results of the Year with Vladimir Putin - 2024" - in the Izvestia story.