More than 700 reporters to attend Vladimir Putin's Kremlin press conference today

President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation will talk to numerous federal, regional and foreign mass-media correspondents at a large-scale press conference, due to begin at 12.00 Moscow time today.

Talking to RIA-NOVOSTI, officials from the presidential press service noted that the press conference would be attended by over 700 journalists.

Approximately 340 people will be representing the regional press, with 140 journalists representing federal mass-media bodies. More than 230 journalists from about 30 countries of the world will also be present.

According to the press-service spokesman, 105 TV cameramen and nearly 30 photographers will be working in the hall.

The Russian leader's answers will be simultaneously translated into four languages, i.e. English, French, German and Japanese.

According to RIA-NOVOSTI's sources, the subject matter of the press conference is unclear; this 90-minute press conference will, most likely, amount to a casual chat.

However, Putin might well extend the duration of the press conference, just like he had done last year. The press conference will be broadcast live at the Russian President's web site, i.e. www.kremlin.ru.

This is Putin's third major press conference; the first one took place in July of 2001; and the second one was organized in June of 2002.