Vladimir Putin, wife announce divorce on state television
| MOSCOW
Russian President Vladimir聽Putin聽and his wife Lyudmila announced Thursday they aredivorcing聽after nearly 30 years of marriage.
The聽Putins聽made the statement on state television after attending a ballet performance at the Kremlin.
"It was our joint decision,"聽Putin聽said.
Lyudmila聽Putin聽was rarely seen in public during her husband's long tenure at the top of Russian politics and implied that she didn't like to travel with him on his frequent trips.
"I don't like publicity and flying is difficult for me," she said.
The聽Putins聽married on July 28, 1983, and have two daughters, Maria and Yekaterina. In the televised announcement of their聽divorce,聽Putin聽appeared reserved and Lyudmila smiled tentatively.
"We practically never saw each other. To each his own life,"聽Putin聽said.
Lyudmila聽Putin聽said, "We will eternally be very close people. I'm thankful ... that he supports me."
There were no immediate indications of how the move would be perceived by the public.聽Divorce聽is common in Russia, and nearly 700,000 pairs dissolved their marriages in 2009, according to UNICEF.
Russian leaders, unlike their counterparts in the West, generally keep their personal lives well out of public view. Mikhail Gorbachev's wife Raisa raised many Russians' hackles by her visibility, flair for fashionable dress and forthright comments.
But聽Putin聽also has made a point of supporting traditional social values and appearing at holiday masses of the Orthodox Church. The church permits聽divorce聽under some circumstances; it is not clear if the聽Putins聽sought pastoral advice or permission before the split.
