Russian President Vladimir Putin denied 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 press 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. "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.