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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Putin 'turns into art instructor' | Putin 'turns into art instructor' |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has been raising eyebrows by telling one of the country's most famous artists how to paint better. | Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has been raising eyebrows by telling one of the country's most famous artists how to paint better. |
| Visiting 79-year-old artist Ilya Glazunov, Mr Putin stopped in front of a large painting of a medieval knight. | Visiting 79-year-old artist Ilya Glazunov, Mr Putin stopped in front of a large painting of a medieval knight. |
| "The sword is too short," he is reputed to have said. "It's only good enough for cutting sausage." | "The sword is too short," he is reputed to have said. "It's only good enough for cutting sausage." |
| Not wishing to displease his powerful guest, Mr Glazunov immediately agreed to correct his mistake. | Not wishing to displease his powerful guest, Mr Glazunov immediately agreed to correct his mistake. |
| Oligarch humiliated | Oligarch humiliated |
| In North Korea, they call it "on the spot guidance". | In North Korea, they call it "on the spot guidance". |
| It is when an all powerful-ruler drops by to give soldiers, scientists, farmers even artists advice on how to do their jobs properly. | It is when an all powerful-ruler drops by to give soldiers, scientists, farmers even artists advice on how to do their jobs properly. |
| However, it is not only artists that have been getting a tongue-lashing from Mr Putin. | However, it is not only artists that have been getting a tongue-lashing from Mr Putin. |
| Last week, he humiliated one of Russia's richest men on live television. He forced the billionaire businessman Oleg Deripaska to reopen an aluminium plant after protests by laid-off workers. | Last week, he humiliated one of Russia's richest men on live television. He forced the billionaire businessman Oleg Deripaska to reopen an aluminium plant after protests by laid-off workers. |
| As the cameras rolled, Mr Putin threw his pen on the table and ordered Mr Deripaska to sign the paperwork. | As the cameras rolled, Mr Putin threw his pen on the table and ordered Mr Deripaska to sign the paperwork. |
| It was a brilliant piece of political theatre, which went down extremely well with Russia's public who were delighted to see Mr Putin bringing the hated oligarch to heel. | It was a brilliant piece of political theatre, which went down extremely well with Russia's public who were delighted to see Mr Putin bringing the hated oligarch to heel. |
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| Mr Putin forces a factory owner to restart production - and return his pen |
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