Putin denies marriage rumours
Foreign Desk Report

PORTO ROTONDO—Russian President Vladimir Putin denied Friday a newspaper report that he had divorced his wife Lyudmila and planned to marry a gymnastics champion.
And he hit out at “those with snotty-noses and erotic fantasies” who delved into the private life of public figures. “There’s not a word of truth in it,” he told a press conference in Sardinia following talks with Italian prime minister-elect Silvio Berlusconi, when asked about reports of a relationship with a 24-year-old former Olympic gymnast, Alina Kabayeva, who is also a member of Russia’s parliament.
Listening at the Russian leader’s side as the question was translated, Berlusconi made a machine-gun firing gesture towards the Russian journalist who had asked it. “You mentioned an article in our gutter press which referred to our artistic gymnastics champion Alina Kabayeva as well as Katya Andreyeva, your colleague who works for the Russian television channel Pervy Kanal,” Putin said.
“In other articles other beautiful and successful young women have been mentioned,” he said. “It will be no surprise if I say I like them all.
“Personally, I think Russian women are the most beautiful and the most talented and the Italians are the only ones who can match them,” he added to applause from journalists present. Putin said society had a right to known about the lifestyle of public figures, but warned, “There are limits.” “There is a private life in which no one should interfere — I’ve always had a low opinion of those with snotty noses and erotic fantasies who delve into the lives of others.” A Russian newspaper, Moskovsky Korrespondent, last week quoted an “informed source” as saying that Putin had divorced his wife two months ago.
Russian President Vladimir Putin turned a reporter’s question about his marriage into a discourse on female beauty, saying Friday that “I like all Russian women.”
Playing up his image as a ladies man, Putin praised his countrywomen in response to a reporter’s question about a recent tabloid report that claimed he intends to marry a former Olympic gymnast less than half his age. “There is not a single word of truth” to the report, Putin said at a news conference in Sardinia with incoming Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi. “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.”