LONDON — During his annual state of the nation address in Moscow on Thursday, President Vladimir V. Putin effectively acknowledged that Russians cannot feed their families on restored imperial glory.

In a speech long on economic promises and short on specifics about how to finance them, Mr. Putin vowed to lift his country from grinding poverty and limited opportunities.

“Our top priority is to preserve the people of Russia and improve their welfare,” Mr. Putin declared. He noted that some 20 million Russians are enduring lives below the official poverty line, a circumstance he branded “unacceptable.”

The solution, Mr. Putin said, is to focus on creating large numbers of jobs that pay enough to support middle-class life.