President Putin Trades in Wife for Hot Babe - Updated

(Moscow, Russia) Fifty-five-year-old Vladimir Putin, President of Russia for a few more weeks, has split from his wife, 50-year-old Ludmilla, and reportedly will marry a young, beautiful gymnast on June 15.

A report in a Moscow tabloid stated that Vladimir and Ludmilla actually divorced in February.

Ludmilla married KGB Agent Putin in 1983, following him to his postings in East Germany, where one of their two daughters was born. In recent years, the magic has disappeared from the Putin marriage, interestingly, about the same time that Vladimir instituted a program to bring young women into the Duma as deputies.

Known as Putinskie Krasotki - "Putin's Babes" - they were brought in with the cynical but successful aim of "sexing up" his United Russia party.

The bloc took more than 60 per cent of the vote in the December elections.

One Russian spin-doctor boasted at the time of their arrival in the Duma: "We are now definitely ahead of all parties in terms of ladies with sex appeal among our MPs.

"These young women are full of energy and eagerness to become serious law-makers."

So, right after creating a candy store of beautiful Russian dancers and athletes, President Putin selected his very own bundle of energy and eagerness.


Vladimir Putin and Alina Kabaeva
Her name is Alina Kabaeva. She's 24 years old and was born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

As a gymnast and rhythmic dancer, Alina is known for her extreme flexibility and is considered to be unbeatable "on the carpet" - to use a gymnastics term.

She won the 1998 European Championship at the age of 15 where, according to reports, she first met President Putin. Later, she achieved continued success winning medals in both the Goodwill Games and the Olympics.

The Olympic rhythmic gymnastic champion is now linked to Vladimir Putin, making her a strikingly beautiful and popular celebrity along with being a member of parliament.

It's unclear how the romance between Vladimir and Alina began and developed but it's probably safe to assume that Putin has been setting the stage for a number of years. After all, he is a former communist spy, quite adept at stealthy, conspiratorial and psychological manipulation of people.


Alina is "extremely flexible."
Uh -- uh -- uh, where was I?

Oh, yeah, it's also noteworthy that Alina has worked in the modeling field and has done some acting. On at least one occasion, she posed unclothed for a magazine, but it was considered to be tastefully done.

In conclusion, sympathies are extended to Vladimir and Ludmilla on their reported breakup. Meanwhile, congratulations are extended to Vladimir and Alina on their reported upcoming nuptials.

Tip: Howie


[Update 4/19/08]

Putin denies reports.

The Moscow newspaper which claimed Vladimir Putin had secretly divorced and planned to marry a gymnast has been shut down.

Billionaire owner Alexander Lebedev, a former KGB agent, pulled the plug on Moscow Korrespondent hours after the Russian president issued an angry denial of the report about former Olympic gymnast and nude model Alina Kabaeva, a member of parliament who is 31 years his junior.

Editor Grigoriy Nekhoroshev and deputy editor Igor Dudinsky asserted the story was well-sourced as they left the newspaper.