There are conflicting reports going back and forth about President Vladimir Putin divorced his wife to be with a known 24 years old gymnast from the former Soviet Uzbekistan.

Although I am not surprised by this, because it can be quite often here .. I'm surprised that this story made public in the way it is.

President Putin, who is 55, was reportedly in a serious relationship with Ms. Alina Kabaeva, who is 31 years his junior.

If this happened in the U.S., the explosive scandal, it would create would be beyond huge. But here in the former Soviet Union, it is considered a celebrity charm.

Here's what one article said ..

    So, Vladimir Vladimirovich, what you see in this marriage of 24 years of gymnastics?
    - Richard Pendlebury

    This type of question Mrs Merton might ask:

    "So, Vladimir Putin, Russian president, what you see in the 24-year-old, sensationally beautiful gymnast with a penchant for posing semi-naked that you do not see in your lovely, middle-aged, befitting a respectable wife Ludmilla?"

    In addition, a question that hardly needs answering for the millions who tuned in the YouTube film of Alina Kabaeva performance clearly provocative gymnastic routine.

    This sudden frenzied interest in a woman who, until yesterday, was frankly rather obscure Russian athlete, comes after a Moscow newspaper reported that Mr Putin recently split with Ludmilla and is going to marry a young and very pretty Miss Kabaeva.

    Putin today appeared to relish they are connected with a beautiful gymnast less than half his age, he gave a press conference alongside Italian leader Silvio Berlusconi - himself no stranger to accusations of promiscuity.

    Waiver divorce and marriage plans, 55-year-old Mr. Putin seemed to enjoy playing up the image of man women.

    "In other publications of the same type, the names of other successful, beautiful young women from Russia is mentioned, he said." I do not think it would be unexpected if I say that I love them all -. Like me, like all Russian women "

    He urged the women of his homeland "the most talented and beautiful" in the world - adding diplomatically: ". If anyone can compete, it may be only Italian women,"

    Despite the denials, some commentators wondered whether the rumors of relationship with the gymnast may explain why Mr Putin suddenly posed topless for the cameras at the Siberian fishing holiday last summer.

    Although his muscular torso and bare have been particularly hit among women and gay voters, perhaps he is just trying to impress his new mistress.

    There is added piquancy in the fact that, despite her youth, Miss Kabaeva has recently been made deputy.

    The gymnast is one of many young and beautiful Russian dancers and athletes who, under the patronage of Mr Putin, in recent years became deputies in the Duma - the lower Russian parliament.

    Known as Putinskie Krasotki - "Putin's Babes' - they were brought in with the cynical but successful aim of" sexing up "his party, United Russia.

    Block has won more than 60 percent of the vote in December elections.

    One Russian spin-doctor boasted at the time of their arrival in the Duma: "We are now definitely ahead of all the parties in terms of ladies with sex appeal among our MPs.

    "These young women are full of energy and zeal to become a serious legislator."

    This remains to be seen. In the end, it would be like Gordon Brown packing backbenches at Westminster with confection of pop group Girls Aloud, the triumphant British women's team on the bike and topless dancers from London's Stringfellows nightclub.

    To be fair to Miss Kabaeva - already appointed deputy chairman of the Duma Committee on Youth - it is more modest than her fellow Babes, one of whom posed naked for Playboy.

    Yes, Miss Kabaeva has taken off her clothes for a magazine, but it creates a tastefully wrapped in a fur rug. Her modesty is protected by lingerie in other shots. Still, Ruth Kelly she is not.

    But how did Mr Putin actually get to know Miss Kabaeva?

    One of the most popular beauty of Russia, it is the reigning Olympic gymnastic champion and global favorite sport.

    She said to get the blessing of the "extremely flexible" and practically unbeatable when performing 'on the carpet "- to use gymnastic term.

    "I could not believe my eyes when I first saw it," recalls her coach Irina Vine.

    "The girl is a rare combination of two qualities crucial in rhythmic gymnastics -. flexibility and agility"

    Sport combination of ballet, dance and gymnastics in which competitors manipulate ropes, balls, clubs, hoops and ribbons.

    And Alina was very good. At the age of just 15 years old, she won the gold medal in the 1998 European Championship. The following year she secured the world title and was the favorite to repeat the success at the Sydney Olympics 2000.

    Disaster, however, when she dropped her hoop and rolled on the carpet. She went home only with the bronze and the whole of Russia was crying with her.

    He said that it was when she first came to the attention of Putin and met with him.

    There was more embarrassment at the Goodwill Games in Brisbane next year, when, having won five medals, she tested positive for banned diuretic.

    She was stripped of the title, though her coach said that he was an honest mistake, caused by the use of Australian food supplement.

    Joy was unbounded when Alina won the rhythmic all-around gold medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Sports are the new superstars and a charming girl.

    But the knee injury was dogging her career and, after a retirement and return, she announced in February that her time on the carpet was in the end ... time to focus on policy and support of its president.

    What then First Lady? talents of 50-year-old Lyudmila Putin are in the field of linguistics. She has a degree in Spanish, can speak French, and taught German at Leningrad State University in Putin's hometown of St. Petersburg.

    She married him there in July 1983. At the time of the wedding, Miss Kabaeva, was only two months.

    Lyudmila followed her husband on his postings KGB and lived in East Germany for four years, when one of his two daughters, Maria and Katja now aged 23 and 21, were born.

    But rumors about the state of marriage, Putin had been circulated for some time in Moscow media circles.

    Story that she and the President has, in fact, divorced, appeared in the Moscow tabloid reporter Moscovski.

    The newspaper says that the divorce came through in February and that Mr Putin to marry gymnast, now a deputy in St. Petersburg on June 15.

    The article cited a source close to event planning company saying the firm competing for the right to conduct weddings in the Imperial Palace that day.

    By that time, Mr. Putin will have stepped down from his post as president and was replaced by his successor, Dmitry Medvedev.

    Mr. Putin becomes prime minister and chairman of the ruling party "United Russia".

    Nobody in Russia or elsewhere believes that leaving the presidency he will have to give up any of his real power.

    As the story of his divorce circulated in Moscow, it was stated that Putin was seen with an intimate dinner with Kabaeva in a restaurant downtown early this year.

    Last night, her father muddied waters when he said that he had not heard if his daughter was getting married or not.

    But he added: "If she marries such a man, it would be great. He's very much like me."

    Neither the Kremlin nor the representative of Miss Kabaeva have been prepared comments. Some even suggest, the story was deliberately leaked by the Kremlin, that they could impose further restrictions on Russian mass media to the masses.

About the only interesting thing I can stress the fact that this young lady from the capital Tashkent in Uzbekistan. And although I have not had the opportunity to visit this country yet I have many friends in this city. And they tell me with a certain amount of pride in their voices ..

That there are many beautiful and good girls in their town and what ever I need to see it for yourself.

Well, I certainly appreciate their offer, but I'm not in any real hurry.

Furthermore, if this girl Tashkent to such an extent mesmerized Putin ..

Then I'm sure there are many more like it with the same magical abilities.

And one of you, gentlemen, must be the first to find out.