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Russia's Vladimir Putin and wife Lyudmila divorce | Russia's Vladimir Putin and wife Lyudmila divorce |
(about 2 hours 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. | "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 reporter that flying was difficult for her. | |
The divorce was "civilised" and the couple would "always remain close", she said. | |
"I am very grateful to Vladimir... that he still supports me. And the children, he really cares for them and the children feel this," she added. | |
Mr Putin confirmed on 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. | 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. | "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. | She and Mr Putin were last seen together at his inauguration for his third term as president on 7 May 2012. |
Shock | |
Neither clarified whether or not their marriage had been legally dissolved. | |
Mr Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said: "They separated a long time ago. I don't know if the divorce has been formalised but I can confirm that we are talking about a civilised divorce." | |
The 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 Thursday'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. | But the news has still come as a shock to many Russians, who are not used to their leaders getting divorced, our correspondent adds. |
The Putins' marriage has been the subject of speculation before. | |
In 2008, Mr Putin denied rumours that he had secretly divorced and was planning to remarry former Olympic gymnast Alina Kabayeva. |