Putin Dismisses Article Linking Him to a Former Olympc Gymnast

April 22, 2008

President Vladimir Putin on April 18 denied rumors first reported in the newspaper “Moskovsky korrespondent” that he has divorced his wife and intends to marry Alina Kabayeva, a former the Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast who is now a State Duma deputy. Asked about the report during a news conference in Sardinia with incoming Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on April 18, Putin said there was not “a single world of truth” in it, AP reported.

“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.” Russian women are “the most talented and beautiful” in the world, Putin said, adding: “If anyone can compete, it may be only Italian women.” He also said: “I have always had a negative opinion of those who, with their snotty noses and their erotic fantasies, meddle in other people’s lives.”

According to AP, the “Moskovsky korrespondent” article, which the tabloid published on April 11, reported that Putin divorced his wife two months earlier and planned to marry Kabayeva in St. Petersburg. The article cited the close friend of the head of a company bidding to hold the wedding. “Moskovsky korrespondent” Editor in Chief Grigory Nekhoroshev defended publishing the story: “I am 100 percent convinced that people should know this information about [their] leaders,” RFE/RL’s Russian Service on April 18 quoted him as saying. “They should be aware even of rumors so that a public discussion can take place.”

Meanwhile the newspaper that ran it suspends publication:
Interfax on April 18 quoted Artyom Artyomov, general director of the National Media Company, which publishes “Moskovsky korrespondent,” as saying he has decided to stop financing and publishing the newspaper both because of its “large costs” and “differences with the editorial staff over its concept.” Artyomov said there will soon be “a new concept for the newspaper and a business plan for its development.” He also reported that “Moskovsky korrespondent” Editor in Chief Nekhoroshev has resigned but denied “any hidden political motive for the suspension of the publication of the newspaper,” saying it was “purely” a business decision.

However, RIA Novosti on April 18 quoted a “reliable source” as calling claims that “Moskovsky korrespondent” was experiencing financial problems “grossly exaggerated.”

The Other Russia opposition group’s website, theotherrussia.org, reported on April 20 that Federal Security Service (FSB) agents have visited the offices of “Moskovsky korrespondent” several times since the Putin-Kabayeva story was published and that the paper’s “billionaire owner” — former State Duma Deputy Aleksandr Lebedev — “was warned to beef up his personal security.” However, “Kommersant” on April 21 quoted Lebedev as calling the claim that he was ordered to close the newspaper “complete nonsense,” saying it happened for “exclusively economic” reasons. “Kommersant” also quoted deputy presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov as saying that the Kremlin had nothing to do with closing “Moskovsky korrespondent.” He described the Putin-Kabayeva article a “gutter [press] canard” and said “a self-respecting publication” would have telephoned the presidential press service for comment before publishing such a piece.

Nevertheless, analyst Aleksei Makarkin said he believes Lebedev in fact suspended publication of “Moskovsky korrespondent” because of the Putin-Kabayeva article. “The owner has commercial interests in Russia, and in this situation any identification with this article would be too big a political risk for him,” “Gazeta” on April 21 quoted Makarkin as saying. “For him, the newspaper was not a strategic project and following that publication it became too big an irritant to the authorities.”

Source Radio Free Europe

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