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Putin denies marriage rumour
18/04/2008 16:46 - (SA)
Porto Rotondo - Russian President Vladimir Putin denied on 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 news 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.
"There are limits"
"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 know 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.
It said he would be marrying Kabayeva in June.
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