4:15 p.m. — This year's call-in lasted for three hours and 58 minutes — two minutes longer than last year. The longest ever call-in took place in 2013, when Putin spoke for four hours and 47 minutes and answered 85 questions.
Putin answered 55 questions this year, out of more than the 3 million questions directed to the president.
4:05 p.m. — A question is asked about the Kuril Islands dispute with Japan. Putin says that Crimea was incorporated into Russia because the local people wanted it, but that residents of the disputed Kuril Islands will likely not vote to join Japan.
3:59 p.m. — The official call-in comes to an end. Putin will now answer questions from Kremlin pool journalists.
3.58 p.m. — Putin declares that Russia is past the worst of the economic crisis. When oil prices fell from $100 to $50 per barrel, the country did not collapse, Putin said.
3:57 p.m. — The final question is about the call-in show itself. Putin says that this program is the most powerful tool he has to really know how things are going in the country, and it give him a chance to tell the people his own position on key issues.
3:56 p.m. — Responding to several unrelated questions, Putin says he wants to see Russia prosperous, doesn't want to become UN general secretary.
3:55 p.m. — Putin tells a story about going to a banya with former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. Putin says that the banya caught fire, but Shröder refused to leave until he had finished his beer.
3:52 p.m. — Putin hopes that one day the Ukrainian people will look honestly at the "vandalism" that took place in Odessa last year.
3:51 p.m. — In response to a question, Putin says he doesn't want to clone himself, even though there are no government officials who could replace him.
3:48 p.m. — Putin says that there will be more ferries — eventually there will be 10 of them, and there will be electronic tickets for them, to combat the long lines.
3:46 p.m. — There are more questions related to transportation and Crimea, including the ferry from Crimea to Krasnodar across the Kerch Strait and the need to re-register cars with Ukrainian registration in Russia.
A woman says she is worried that airfares from Crimea to Russia are too expensive. She claims she paid 17,500 rubles ($350) for a ticket to Kazan, where she studies.
Putin responds that Aeroflot, Russia's main airline, has decided to lower its fare to 7,500 rubles ($150) for a round-trip ticket. "The problem with Crimea is that its infrastructure is in very bad shape," Putin says.
And here he is #Putin pic.twitter.com/iiOvuXUA1a
#Putin now came to the journalists for some more questions pic.twitter.com/NRmdx6nOyL
Here is how the #Ruble acted during #Putin #DirectLine. Now $1 is 49.9 rubles pic.twitter.com/BiRAVgXXWR
