Putin rallied on a visit to a Russian village

(Reuters) – Dozens of villagers gathered and cheered for Russian President Vladimir Putin during an unannounced visit on Friday to a community near Moscow where he has ancestral ties.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian media that Putin visited the village of Turginovo to see places associated with his family.

A video clip published by local news websites showed dozens of residents flocking to the smiling president after he got out of a car in the village square at dusk.

One of the women said: “With health, strength and good luck.” “Thank you for coming to see us. Because you remember us.”

During a pause of only a few minutes, Putin expressed his surprise that the science teacher at the local school was studying a PhD and promised to improve conditions for attracting qualified people to the region.

Residents told him they needed more and better housing.

“Yes, yes, I agree, we will do everything gradually,” Putin told them during the meeting, which lasted only a few minutes. “My best wishes at the beginning of the school year.”

He was returning to Moscow after speaking to students at a “management laboratory” near the capital on “Knowledge Day” on September 1, the traditional start of the academic year.

(Reporting by Ron Popeski; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)