April 19, 2008	Saturday	Rabi-us-Sani 12, 1429

PORTO ROTONDO (Russia): April 18: President Vladimir Putin on Friday denied he planned to divorce his 50-year-old wife Lyudmila to marry an Olympic champion gymnast, telling journalists to keep their “snotty noses” out of his private life.

A Russian newspaper had reported that Putin had secretly divorced Lyudmila in February and would marry Alina Kabayeva, a 24-year-old Russian Olympic gold medallist in rhythmic gymnastics, in the summer.

Quoting society sources in Putin’s home city of St Petersburg, the Moskovsky Korrespondent newspaper said last week that tenders had already been gone out for the wedding between the outgoing Russian president and Kabayeva.

“In what you said, there is not one word of truth,” Putin said when asked about the reports at a news briefing with Italy’s Prime Minister-elect Silvio Berlusconi.

“I have always reacted negatively to those who with their snotty noses and erotic fantasies prowl into others’ lives,” Putin said.

Putin said media had mentioned a host of women including Kabayeva and Russian television journalist Yekaterina Andreyeva in articles about his private life.

“In other such publications other successful, beautiful young women and girls have been mentioned. I don’t think it will be a surprise if I say that I like them all — because they are all Russian women,” Putin said with a smile.

Moskovsky Korrespondent said last Saturday that plans were being laid in St Petersburg for a lavish summer wedding between Putin and Kabayeva. Lebedev several days later gave a radio interview saying journalists on the paper should back the story up or retract it.—Reuters