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Mr Putin said that Anatoly Sobchak had died because he had been hunted down. He highly valued the former St Petersburg mayor’s contribution to the cause of the city’s renaissance to make it once again a major European economic and cultural centre.

“He was a brilliant man, a true Petersburger in style and mentality rather than by origin. I firmly believe that his memory should be immortalised in our city,” the Acting President said, adding that it would be the decision of the people of St Petersburg.

Mr Putin answered questions about developments in Chechnya, the state of housing and public utilities, and basic trends in the national socio-economic situation. Many people also asked about the investigation of the sensational assassinations of Mikhail Manevich, St Petersburg deputy governor, and Galina Starovoitova, member of the State Duma of the second convocation. Many questions also concerned the situation in the Russian armed forces.