ARKHANGELSK, Russia — Breaking five days of silence — and a Soviet-style virtual blackout on state media over the biggest protests in Russia in years — President Vladimir Putin responded publicly Thursday to the nationwide anticorruption demonstrations by saying they could end in chaos.

Speaking in the northern port of Arkhangelsk at an international forum on Arctic issues, Putin defended his record on fighting corruption. He did not mention Aleksei A. Navalny, the opposition leader who called for the demonstrations and who would like to oppose the president in the March 2018 election. But Putin left little doubt to whom he was referring when he called the marches part of a presidential campaign.

Putin is expected to win a fourth term handily, even though he has yet to confirm he will run for reelection. Navalny has vowed to run against him.

New York Times