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Russia's Vladimir Putin and wife Lyudmila divorce | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his wife Lyudmila have said their marriage is over. | Russian President Vladimir Putin and his wife Lyudmila have said their marriage is over. |
The couple, who had been married for 30 years, made their divorce public on Russian state television after attending a ballet performance. | The couple, who had been married for 30 years, made their divorce public on Russian state television after attending a ballet performance. |
"It was a joint decision: we hardly see each other, each of us has our own life", Mr Putin said. | |
Mrs Putin had rarely been seen in public in recent months, prompting much speculation in Russian media. | Mrs Putin had rarely been seen in public in recent months, prompting much speculation in Russian media. |
She is known to dislike publicity, and told the TV that flying was difficult for her. | |
The divorce was "civilised" and the couple would "always remain close", she added. | |
Mr Putin confirmed to the TV that the two were no longer living together. | |
Vladimir Putin and Lyudmila Shkrebneva were married in 1983. They have two daughters, Maria and Yekaterina, both in their 20s. | |
"Our children have grown up; they have their own lives," Mrs Putin added. | |
She and Mr Putin were last seen together at his inauguration for his third term as president on 7 May 2012. | |
The divorce announcement came after the couple had gone to see the ballet Esmeralda at the Kremlin Palace - they left after the first act. | |
The BBC's Steve Rosenberg in Moscow says that tonight's announcement confirms what had been rumoured for years, that the Putins were having marital problems. | |
But the news has still come as a shock to many Russians, who are not used to their leaders getting divorced, our correspondent adds. |