Post date: Jun 07, 2013 1:15:59 PM
Russian political analyst Maria Lipman says Putin's divorce came as a shock to Russians; presumes it has an 'image making purpose'.
MOSCOW, RUSSIA (JUNE 7, 2013) (REUTERS) - President Putin's divorce was not news to Russians, however its public discussion shocked people, political analyst Maria Lipman said on Friday (June 7), adding that the move might have an 'image making purpose'.
Vladimir Putin and his wife, Lyudmila, told Russians on Thursday (June 6) that their 30-year marriage was over, confirming longstanding speculation that they had separated.In a rare appearance together on state television, Putin was asked about rumours that they no longer lived together and answered: "That is true."
The announcement removes a big question mark about the private life of a president who has increasingly touted traditional values and championed the conservative Russian Orthodox Church as a moral authority.
"The fact that Putin's marriage was barely existent is nothing new in Russia. People assume that Putin does not live with his wife. She barely ever appeared in public in the past decade. He almost never took her to accompany him in his foreign trips. I think last time that happened was 2004. So it was basically a universally accepted fact," Russian political analyst Maria Lipman told in an interview to Reuters on Friday.
"But the fact that suddenly Putin's private life is a matter of discussion came as a shock, came as a complete surprise. And the fact that the venue was bizarre, that this happened in a ballet theatre, in a middle of a ballet performance, in the interval between the two acts of the ballet performance only emphasized the unprecedented nature of his announcement," she added.
Politically, Putin may have calculated that it was better to be seen coming clean about a separation many Russians have long taken as fact than to be suspected of hiding the truth or living a secret second life.
Lipman speculated that more information about Putin's love life may be coming out soon.
"But maybe before too long we will hear a continuation of elements of Putin's private life being discussed in public. Maybe he indeed is going to make public what is being rumoured about that he's got somebody he loves, somebody he is involved with, and maybe that person would become the first lady," she said.
"So if this is the case, this is what is in store for the Russian public and for the world to know that indeed Putin, the President of Russia, will have a young and attractive woman for his wife. This should have a purpose, this should have an image making purpose, this should mean that Putin believes that this is able to improve his image which does not look as good as it used to," the analyst said.
The Putins married in 1983 and have two daughters, both in their 20s. The announcement came 13 months into a third presidential term for Putin, who came to power in 2000 and has not ruled out seeking re-election in 2018.
The couple have made only rare, sometimes awkward, appearances together over recent years, prompting media speculation that they had secretly divorced.
In 2008, Putin said there was no truth to a newspaper report that he was preparing to marry Olympic rhythmic gymnast Alina Kabayeva, who was born the same year he married Lyudmila.
Putin told journalists to keep their "snotty noses" out of his private life and the newspaper folded shortly afterwards. Kabayeva has dismissed speculation she had a child by Putin.