<p>MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered his annual address to the nation Wednesday amid a sweeping Kremlin crackdown on opposition protests and soaring tensions with the West.</p>
<p>Putin began his state-of-the-nation speech by hailing the nation’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. He said the quick development of three coronavirus vaccines underlined Russia’s technological and industrial potential.</p>
<p>The Russian leader has urged authorities to quicken the pace of the country’s vaccination program, which has been slow compared to the West. </p>
<p>He promised new measures to encourage births and to increase average life expectancy, acknowledged that the pandemic has exacerbated demographic trends in Russia. </p>
<p>Putin proposed new incentives to help the economy overcome the blow from the pandemic and new social payments to the population. </p>
<p>Allies of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny called for nationwide protests across Russia on Wednesday to support him. Navalny started a prison hunger strike three weeks ago to protest what he says is inadequate medical treatment for his back pains and officials’ refusal to allow a visit by his doctor. His deteriorating condition has caused international outrage.</p>
<p>Navalny’s imprisonment and his health condition have fueled tensions with the West, already strained over Moscow’s interference with elections, hacking attacks and, most recently, a massive Russian military buildup near the border with Ukraine. </p>
<p>The Kremlin has rejected Western concerns about the troop concentration, saying it’s free to deploy the military wherever it’s deemed necessary on the Russian territory. </p>
