The subtext was that anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny has been barred from running.

“It's not my job to raise competitors,” Mr Putin said, noting that Russia had seen huge growth in GDP and incomes during his 18 years in power. He said the opposition “shouldn't make noise in the streets,” hinting at the street protests Mr Navalny called in dozens of cities across Russia this spring.

“That's the main problem of those who want to be a competitive opposition … they need to present real issues that people will believe in,” he said.

Mr Navalny was among those live-tweeting the press conference, lampooning softball questions and Mr Putin's rose-tinted answers.

After Mr Putin argued that the opposition should offer real alternatives rather than street protests, Mr Navalny tweeted the electoral platform he published on Wednesday.

“This is what the non-parliamentary opposition is offering, Vladimir Vladimirovich,” he wrote. “You're just trying hard not to notice.”

Mr Putin also said he will run as an independent, a logical move given that his personal popularity is higher than that of the ruling United Russia party.

The party is headed by PM Dmitry Medvedev, who served as president from 2008-12 before giving up the seat to Mr Putin in a maneuver to avoid the constitutional two-term limit.

Mr Putin then batted away a question about whether over-reaching security officials were the real traitors to the country.

“You love to provoke with you traitors and fifth columnists,” he said before taking a more staid question about the central bank.

The first hour of the press conference were focused on the economy, which is expected to return to moderate growth after flagging under low oil prices and Western sanctions.

Putin will 'defend the honour' of its athletes in civil courts

After an hour-and-a-half of questions about the economy and the election, Mr Putin's press secretary shifted the conversation to sport. Last week, the International Olympic Committee banned Russia from the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics for its systematic doping, saying its athletes would have to compete under a neutral flag.

Mr Putin argued that Russia was the victim of double standards and said the government would bring lawsuits in civil courts to “defend the honour” of its athletes who had been banned for doping violations.