Vladimir Putin has announced his intention to stand in the Russian presidential elections.
Putin has been in power either as prime minister or president of Russia since 2000.
If he wins the March 2018 election he will be eligible to serve until 2024.
He made the announcement in a speech to workers at a car factory in the Volga city of Nizhny Novgorod.
“I will put forward my candidacy for the post of president of the Russian federation,” he said.
Opinion polls suggest he will win the election easily.
Putin has backed many deeply homophobic laws during his time in charge of Russia.
Researchers found that hate crimes against the LGBT community have doubled since the introduction of an “anti-gay propaganda” law in Russia by Putin.
The law, which came into action five years ago, has seen a sharp spike in violent attacks across the country, reports Reuters.
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