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Will be watching this TV interview with Vladimir Putin when it airs in a few days Anna, but thought you might be interested in the article that has just been published describing it.

It showed some sides I had not thought would have fitted to him at all.

'I, Putin' An Inside Look at Russia's Aging, Lonely Leader



Francine A. McKenna - German Culture Editor

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Hi Francine,

Did you catch the interview?

At any rate, I read somewhere recently that Vladimir has freshened his look by having some Botox!

Peace.


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Hi Anna and Francine.

I would love to see the interview. To see a more personal side to Putin provides some insight to the person, something we rarely get to see in many world leaders.

Botox? Why would he need botox? He never seems to age.



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Yes I did see it Anna, and it was absolutely fascinating. He came across as a human being, almost a 'Mensch', which might seem to be a strange thing to say but this is not the way one tends to think of someone who has power and, it would seem, tends to misuse it. Both in the past and now.

It will be interesting to see what the elections turn up this weekend.......he will win of course, but by how much. Certainly it will not be the easy ride it seemed just a few months ago.

Know you would enjoy the interview Phyllis, it is in German basically, Putin speaks very good German, otherwise I would try to get a copy for you. In photos he always seems to have 'cold' eyes, not in this film. Obviously it has been edited, documentaries always are, but nevertheless he did not come across as the 'ogre' one imagines. Good acting? Could be, who knows.

The Botox theme was much discussed in Europe before Christmas, so I sent Anna the link, here it is BEFORE and AFTER.................no wonder he 'never seems to age'. Enjoy Phyllis!

Botox trends on Twitter amid Vladimir Putin surgery rumours



Francine A. McKenna - German Culture Editor

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Avatar: HOHENZOLLERNBRÃœCKE Cologne with CATHEDRAL and LUDWIG MUSEUM. The Bridge a symbol of how Germany was rebuilt after WWII, it was left in ruins, the Cathedral with roots in the 13th century represents the country's history, Museum of Modern Art the present day.

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That is quite a difference between the two pictures. It looks as though he has a lot of makeup on in the after picture.

It is really interesting, Francine, that in the interview you saw a different look in his eyes. I always look at a person's eyes to see if what is there relates to what they are saying. Maybe he was more relaxed in the interview and not on guard as he is when giving a speech?

Do you really think Putin will win the election? Who is running against him? I do not pay as much attention to world news as I should.


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Well Phyllis, when Putin announced he was going to stand again as President last September it looked as if it would be easy for him and simply �take place�. Given his history am not sure why he came across as so much more relaxed in the documentary, but it could just be because he desperately needs a change of image......as well as the Botox of course.

He had been President for eight years, having initially come in as a �reformer�, two terms are all that are allowed and at the time the length was four years. He has now increased this to six years.

When his time was up he moved sideways to become Prime Minister, installing what was assumed at the time to be a �puppet� President for the four years it would take before he could openly become the leader again.

As your US ambassador John Beyrle described the situation, �Medvedev (the current president) continues to play Robin to Putin's Batman.�

In the last months it has changed. Putin will still become Russian president, unless something earth shattering happens, but he has been weakened by the massive anti-government demonstrations and protests which have taken place.

These are amazing in themselves. It is as if the Russians have suddenly become fed up with what is happening in their country.

Under communism everyone was �sort of� equal, not really but in theory. Now there are the hideously wealthy, who have usually made their fortune from one form or another of the wide spread corruption, and there are �the rest�, which includes a great deal of real poverty. Corruption has been everywhere, even in the media where public opinion was manipulated for years.

There are four people standing against Putin, although they have little chance of winning, but it is the communist candidate, Gennady Zyuganov, who is his closest rival.

The present leader of the Russian opposition, who is not standing for election himself, is an author specializing in crime fiction and uses the pen name Boris Akunin, and is well known in Russia under all his names.

Sometimes he writes from a woman�s point of view and then he becomes �Anna Borisova, while as leader of the opposition he is Anatoly Brusnikin.

However, although everyone still talks about him as Akunin, his real name is Grigory Shalvovich Chkhartishvili.

Yes it all sounds bizarre, but he is serious about his role in the opposition, a part of which is trying to ensure the March 4 presidential elections are free and fair.

It is obvious there was vote rigging in the state Duma, the equivalent of the US House of Representatives., elections in December, and now 20,000 volunteers have been trained by the opposition in an attempt to stop what is generally seen as the inevitable attempts of fraud during this election.

Akunin is pro-democracy, and says authoritarian systems have always failed when the separation between the rulers and those they rule becomes too large, which is what he believes has happened in Russia.

The open opposition and the political groups involved in it, nationalists, communists, liberals, will have an effect on the results of the election and how the country is run afterwards, in fact it could change Russia, but it is doubtful that anything will stop Vladimir Putin winning the election.

Sorry it has taken so many words to describe Phyllis. smile



Francine A. McKenna - German Culture Editor

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Avatar: HOHENZOLLERNBRÃœCKE Cologne with CATHEDRAL and LUDWIG MUSEUM. The Bridge a symbol of how Germany was rebuilt after WWII, it was left in ruins, the Cathedral with roots in the 13th century represents the country's history, Museum of Modern Art the present day.

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Hello Francine and Phyllis,

Interesting tidbits that you've shared with us Francine!

The man Akunin who uses a nom de plume seemingly is a clever one!

I suppose that the age old adage....believe half of what you see and none of what you hear rings true, no?

We'll just have to wait and see what transpires, but I'd have to agree that KUDOS to Putin for his fluency in German.

Peace.


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Just heard that Putin has declared himself the victor with tears in his eye.....


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Quote:
Standing on stage, with the Red Square and Kremlin behind him and tens of thousands of cheering people in front of him, tears flowed down his cheeks. Vladimir Putin, famous for his macho posturing, was crying.

is how the German press have described it Anna.

He however has explained it was all the lights, TV etc. blinding him wink

This is a link to a short BBC piece which is being constantly updated as trouble is expected on the streets, if not tonight then soon. Despite the fact that there are police and troops out everywhere preventing people congregating in any number, and arrests have already been made.

Russia election: Monitors say vote skewed for Putin



Francine A. McKenna - German Culture Editor

German Culture Site - German Culture Facebook

Avatar: HOHENZOLLERNBRÃœCKE Cologne with CATHEDRAL and LUDWIG MUSEUM. The Bridge a symbol of how Germany was rebuilt after WWII, it was left in ruins, the Cathedral with roots in the 13th century represents the country's history, Museum of Modern Art the present day.


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