Although I’m not surprised by this because this can be quite common here.. I am surprised that this story has hit the public the way it has.
President Putin who is 55 is reported to be in a serious relationship with Ms. Alina Kabaeva who is 31 years his junior.
If this happened in the US then the explosive scandal it would create would be beyond huge. But here in the FSU it’s treated with celebrity fascination.
So, Mr Putin, what do you see in this nubile 24-year-old rhythmic gymnast?
- By Richard Pendlebury
This is the kind of question Mrs Merton might ask:
“So, Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, what do you see in a 24-year-old, sensationally beautiful gymnast with a penchant for posing semi-naked that you don’t see in your lovely, middle-aged, matronly wife Ludmilla?”
It is also the kind of question that hardly needs answering for the millions who have tuned in to the YouTube film of Alina Kabaeva performing a decidedly provocative gymnastic routine.
This sudden frenzied interest in a woman who, until yesterday, was frankly a rather obscure Russian athlete, comes after a Moscow newspaper reported that Mr Putin recently split with Ludmilla and is preparing to marry the young and very pretty Miss Kabaeva.
Mr Putin today appeared to relish being linked to a beautiful gymnast less than half his age as he gave a press conference alongside Italian leader Silvio Berlusconi - himself no stranger to allegations of womanising.
Denying the claims of a divorce and marriage plans, 55-year-old Mr Putin seemed to enjoy playing up the image of a ladies’ man.
“In other publications of the same type, the names of other successful, beautiful young women from Russia are mentioned,” he said. “I think it won’t be unexpected if I say that I like them all - just as I like all Russian women.”
He called women of his homeland “the most talented and beautiful” in the world - adding diplomatically: “If anyone can compete, it may be only Italian women.”