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| Putins Finally Appear Together, to Announce Split | Putins Finally Appear Together, to Announce Split |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| MOSCOW — President Vladimir V. Putin announced on Thursday that he plans to divorce his wife of 29 years, Lyudmila, who for years has barely appeared in public, prompting widespread chatter about the secretive leader’s private life. | |
| The couple made the announcement to a television crew after attending a ballet performance at the Kremlin together — an unusual event in itself, since in recent years Lyudmila Putin has appeared in public only rarely. | The couple made the announcement to a television crew after attending a ballet performance at the Kremlin together — an unusual event in itself, since in recent years Lyudmila Putin has appeared in public only rarely. |
| “It was our mutual decision, our marriage is over,” Mr. Putin said. “We practically don’t see each other. Each of us has our own life.” | “It was our mutual decision, our marriage is over,” Mr. Putin said. “We practically don’t see each other. Each of us has our own life.” |
| Mrs. Putin said, by way of explanation, that she does not like publicity or air travel. “We are very fond of our children,” she said. “We are proud of them and we see them all the time.” | Mrs. Putin said, by way of explanation, that she does not like publicity or air travel. “We are very fond of our children,” she said. “We are proud of them and we see them all the time.” |
| She added: “We will forever remain very close people. I’m grateful to Vladimir Vladimirovich that he supports me.” | She added: “We will forever remain very close people. I’m grateful to Vladimir Vladimirovich that he supports me.” |
| Like many major announcements during Mr. Putin’s tenure, this one was carefully orchestrated, if a little awkward. After the two walked out of the ballet, a waiting reporter asked the two, “How did you like ‘Esmerelda?'” Mr. Putin murmured his approval, and his wife noted that it seemed that the dancers “were practically fluttering.” | Like many major announcements during Mr. Putin’s tenure, this one was carefully orchestrated, if a little awkward. After the two walked out of the ballet, a waiting reporter asked the two, “How did you like ‘Esmerelda?'” Mr. Putin murmured his approval, and his wife noted that it seemed that the dancers “were practically fluttering.” |
| Then — remarkably — the reporter asked why Mr. and Mrs. Putin never appeared in public together, noting — even more remarkably — that “there are rumors going around.” Mr. Putin glanced at his wife briefly, then looked into the camera and began to explain that his work involved exhaustive public appearances. | Then — remarkably — the reporter asked why Mr. and Mrs. Putin never appeared in public together, noting — even more remarkably — that “there are rumors going around.” Mr. Putin glanced at his wife briefly, then looked into the camera and began to explain that his work involved exhaustive public appearances. |
| “Some people like it, some don’t — but there are some people who are absolutely incompatible with it,” he said. “Lyudmila Aleksandrovna has done eight years, even nine years, duty. So, to sum it up, it was a joint decision.” | “Some people like it, some don’t — but there are some people who are absolutely incompatible with it,” he said. “Lyudmila Aleksandrovna has done eight years, even nine years, duty. So, to sum it up, it was a joint decision.” |