Putin says will run for president in 2018

"I will nominate myself for the post of president of the Russian Federation," Putin said, speaking with workers at the GAZ car factory in Nizhny Novgorod.

Putin has already served two 4-year terms in 2000-2008, then served as prime minister from 2008 to 2012, and in 2012, after the Russian Constitution was amended, was re-elected for a 6-year term.

Read alsoSobchak stands for new referendum in CrimeaAs UNIAN reported earlier, the next presidential election will be held on March 18, 2018, which is also the fourth anniversary of the annexation of the Ukrainian Crimea.

The campaign is to start in December 2017.