From Ridus.ru:
Vladimir and Lyudmila Putin’s marriage is over.
The marriage between the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, and Lyudmila Putina is over, Itar-Tass report, quoting the head of state’s press secretary.
Vladimir and Lyudmila Putin have been married around 30 years. They have two daughters – Maria, born in 1985 and Ekaterina, born in 1986.
Putin preferred not to publicise his private life while in the highest rank in government, he reluctantly and briefly responded to these questions from journalists. This evening, Vladimir and Lyudmila Putin appeared together at a ballet show in the Kremlin. It was after the show that Vladimir and Lyudmila Putin told the Rossiya-24 TV channel that they had divorced in an interview. “This (divorce) was a joint decision, our marriage is over”, Putin said. “We practically never see each other. We each have our own lives”, he added.
Lyudmila Putina explained “I don’t like publicity, and jetting around is hard for me. We love our children very much, we are very proud of them, and we see them often”, she said.
[Note: Slavic names often have gender inflections at the end. The wife of Vladimir Putin for example is Lyudmila Putina. It is, to all intents and purposes, the same name.]
Comments from Ridus.ru:
dik-81:
It would appear that Kabaeva wanted to become Putina [Note: former gymnast Alina Kabaeva has been rumoured to be seeing Vladimir Putin for quite some time]
Mihon:
The main thing is that Dimon doesn’t split up with his. That’d be really stupid.
Светлый Эльф:
What courage it takes to admit it in front of everyone instead of hiding it.
moyaoborona: (responding to above)
What courage, chucking his old wife and chasing young skirt in his old age. Hrumph, old bastard.
olipts:
The open admission by VVP that he’s divorced shows that he’s in great shape and strong politically. Well, I already knew that he was a real man.
moyaoborona: (responding to above)
It’s a sign that he’s a jerk, and he’s not hiding it.
Mihon: (also responding to previous commenter)
Maybe then you can explain the reasons for the divorce? What were they?
Павлик Морозов: (responding to above)
So that the speculation stops, and people stop saying “What’ve you done with your wife, you monster?”
MAXHO:
Without sadness they went their separate ways,
Forgotten were their happy days,
But they were overcome with such malaise,
They started to meet again.
Aleksandr Blok
Mihon:
Is this supposed to change something?
Азарт:
It’s sad when a family falls apart, but it happens for natural reasons.
elementprice:
I can’t imagine for example Obama splitting up with his wife at all.
2013: (responding to above)
Nicolas Sarkozy divorced his wife straight after the elections. He’s not Obama, mind))
Mihon:
There’ll be all kinds of kerfuffle on the television tomorrow, guaranteed. Does anyone know what they’re planning on stealing/banning tomorrow?
Lilja 4ever:
That’s family values for you! It’s against the traditional morals of an Orthodox society! How can we live on? I’m all confused. I’ve lost my traditional orientation …
moyaoborona:
So, he had an affair and dumped her. What does he need an old wife for, she’s already old. We long for young meat in our old age.
Семён-9380:
Anyone who can read has known that they haven’t been living together for six years already.
