Russian President Vladamir Putin has strongly denied claims in the press about his marriage ending, and claims of a relationship with former gymnast Alina Kabaeva.
At a press conference held this afternoon in Sardinia, with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Mr Putin answered a question from Russian journalist Natalia Melikova concerning his marriage and relationship with Miss Kabaeva.
“There is not a word of truth in this story. Politicians live in glass houses, everyone wants to know how they live, but there are limits and there is a private life and these limits should be respected.” said Mr Putin.
He then added that instead of asking a question about the two leaders’ meeting, the journalist had “picked on an article from a street tabloid”.
“Other publications of a similar nature have in the past mentioned similar stories about me and women entertainers and attractive young girls and it will come as no surprise to you that I don’t like them,” he continued.
Most bizarrely when Natalia Melikova fielded the question to Mr Putin, Prime Minister Berlusconi’s reaction was to point at the reporter imitating the firing of a gun! The gesture reduced Ms Melikova to tears.
