The President and the Gymnast

Well, now that it's official that Vladimir Putin and his wife Lyudmila are getting a divorce, I thought it was finally time to tackle this topic.

As the New York Times writes:

For at least five years, rumors have linked Mr. Putin to Ms. [Alina] Kabaeva, who won a gold medal in rhythmic gymnastics, and who in recent years has served as a member of the Duma, the lower house of Parliament. In 2008, after a newspaper, Moskovsky Korrespondent, reported that he planned to marry Ms. Kabaeva, publication of the newspaper was suspended abruptly for what its parent company said were “financial reasons.”

Of course, Putin and his aides deny the existence of an affair.
What's the truth?? Well, I've always thought that a picture is worth a thousand words...

The look of love...

...is in your eyes...

 My goodness, he's always giving her flowers!

"For you, darling."

"Yes, we are a picture-perfect couple!"

"Oh HELLZ YEAH, he TOTALLY loves me!!"

Don't they look happy?

How did they meet, you ask?  Why, all thanks to head coach Irina Viner, of course!! (Welcome to Vinerstan, people!)

Kabaeva, Viner looking oh-so-pleased, Putin

...Which is precisely why it was SOO disturbing to find this picture from 2008 (after the Beijing Olympics).  You can practically hear Viner saying, "Look Dmitri--look how cute these dimples are!!" *shudder*

Viner, Dmitri Medvedev, Zhenya Kanaeva