Vladimir Putin to divorce wife, marry smokin' hot, highly flexible young gymnast

[ultrafilter]

No matter what you might think of him as a world leader, you have to admit that the man has style:

“So, Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, what do you see in a 24-year-old, sensationally beautiful gymnast with a penchant for posing semi-naked that you don’t see in your lovely, middle-aged, matronly wife Ludmilla?”

It is also the kind of question that hardly needs answering for the millions who have tuned in to the YouTube film of Alina Kabaeva performing a decidedly provocative gymnastic routine.

This sudden frenzied interest in a woman who, until yesterday, was frankly a rather obscure Russian athlete, comes after a Moscow newspaper reported that Mr Putin recently split with Ludmilla and is preparing to marry the young and very pretty Miss Kabaeva.

I have to imagine that Bill Clinton is smacking himself right now for not thinking of this first.

The article is here, and you can see her in action here. Note that, while there’s no actual nudity in the article, there are some slightly racy photos.

[Mr.Excellent]

Good Lord - the article mentions that she’s also an MP. Let me be the first to say: Hottest. Parliamentarian. Ever.

(With apologies to the lovely Yuliya Tymoshenko: http://irishspy.typepad.com/public_secrets/WindowsLiveWriter/Ukraineonthevergeofcivilwar_E82C/yulia-tymoshenko-01[7].jpg )

[Crescend]

What can I say. For all his faults, the man has panache.

[scout1222]

Oh god, I love the photos of HIM. Shirtless! Look at those guns! Hee hee.

She’s a pretty lady, that’s for sure.

[lieu]

He’s going to need a bigger bed.

[Cornelius_Tuggerson]

It is claimed that the Russian paper that originally made this claim has already been shut down. These guys work fast.

[Zebra]

I’m surprised that he isn’t suddenly widowed by a car accident.

[hotflungwok]

It’s good to be the king.

[Sunspace]

That’s the answer to my invisible-to-women problem, then: become a world leader!

Of course, that solution then invites other problems, like assassination and phone calls at 3AM.

[Marley23]

@ultrafilter

Note that, while there’s no actual nudity in the article, there are some slightly racy photos.

Nice bush!

[Flander]

I’ve never seen a more beautiful interpretation of wearing your ass for a hat.

[Leaffan]

@Flander

I’ve never seen a more beautiful interpretation of wearing your ass for a hat.

Come here and kiss me on the lips, Vlad.

Sure, can you move your pony tail.

[NinetyWt]

@ultrafilter

you have to admit that the man has style:

Style? :dubious:

The Telegraph reports that it is untrue:

Mr Putin said: “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.”

[NurseCarmen]

@Marley23

Nice bush!

I found myself very angry at the bush.

[Wilson]

It’s all bush’s fault.

[ultrafilter]

@NinetyWt

Style? :dubious:

The Telegraph reports that it is untrue:

No, the Telegraph reports that Putin claims it’s untrue. Big difference.

[Triskadecamus]

Yeah. The Telegraph never says anything is untrue.

Tris

[Flander]

Of course it’s untrue…She’s mine. I’ve been folding Alina into Tantric pretzels for a few weeks now.

Why doesn’t anyone believe me?

[NinetyWt]

@ultrafilter

No, the Telegraph reports that Putin claims it’s untrue. Big difference.

Oh well. shrug Didn’t mean to harsh your mellow there.

[matt_mcl]

@Mr. Excellent

Good Lord - the article mentions that she’s also an MP. Let me be the first to say: Hottest. Parliamentarian. Ever.

Nah, I still have to go with Finland’s Oras Tynkkynen.

(I had the opportunity to meet him at the International LGBT Rights Conference two years ago. As well as the youngest and first openly gay MP in Finland, I believe that at the time he was the world’s only politician with a faux-hawk.)