Putin Skips Annual News Conference, Avoiding Possible Questions on War

 Putin Skips Annual News Conference, Avoiding Possible Questions on War
The December event has offered reporters rare — albeit stage-managed — chances to pose hard questions. With the war going poorly for Russia, that could have been awkward.

President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia after his year-end news conference in Moscow last December.Credit...Natalia Kolesnikova/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images