Russian President Putin Is Divorcing Wife Of 30 Years
Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed his divorce on state television.
With his wife Lyudmila at his side, the couple announced that by joint agreement their marriage is over. They made the separation announcement during an interview with Russia 24 conducted at the Grand Kremlin Palace last night after attending a ballet performance. They have been married since 1983.
One news outlet reported that they had actually separated in 2008.
Lyudmila has kept a low profile while her husband was president, prime minister, and then president again. “I do not like publicity, and the flights are complicated for me. We love our children, we are proud of them and see each other often,” she said, adding that “they will always be friends.”
A former KGB officer, Putin has been the most powerful politician in Russia for over a decade. He was president of Russia from 2000 to 2008 and prime minister from 2009 to 20012. Although the results were disputed by opposition candidates, he was elected to a third presidential term in March 2012 and will serve for six years under changes made to Russian law.
As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Putin has been linked to former Russian Olympic gymnastics champion Alina Kabayeva who allegedly gave birth to a son by Putin who reportedly is named Dimitry. “While there is no substantive evidence that Mr. Putin was romantically linked to Miss Kabayeva, who served as an MP for Mr Putin’s ruling United Russia party, the alleged affair has long been the hottest gossip topic among Russia’s elite.”
Putin has managed to keep the details of his personal life under wraps, however. “A paper that reported Putin’s split from wife Lyudmila last year quickly shuttered, and news of Kabayeva’s having a child nor Dimitry’s presumed paternity has not been reported by any major Russian media outlets.”
The Twitterverse is having some fun with this news. For example:
“60-something newly-single Russian male likes to judo chop, shoot bears, ride shirtless on horseback, and repress.” #PutinSinglesAd
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) June 6, 2013
