But every year — amid the weighty questions from the domestic and international media — there are also odd and lighter moments, like this year when people asked Putin what his license plate number was and whether love at first sight existed.

It’s all part of the spectacle of the tightly orchestrated event — an opportunity for Putin, who has ruled Russia for 25 years, to expound on a wide array of subjects as well as to burnish his image as a fatherly figure to address the concerns of ordinary Russians who submit questions in advance.

Bazhanov did actually have a question for Putin — about greater support for young families. Later in the 4 1/2-hour news conference, one of the anchors passed along the news that Bazhanov’s girlfriend had said yes. Putin promptly quipped about collecting money for the wedding.

For those inside Moscow’s Gostinny Dvor amphitheater, the most important task was to get Putin’s attention. Most brought signs and some wore national dress. One reporter brought a clutch of Labubu dolls personalized to look like Russian officials and one in the form of U.S. President Donald Trump.