MOSCOW, January 23. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin is absolutely established and self-reliant, said his press secretary Dmitry Peskov in an interview with Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper.
“He is becoming more complicated as a leader because he has a handle on the situation, concerning his expert knowledge, his awareness of all the details, circumstances, and so on…That makes it hard for his subordinates to deal with him, if they are not ready to discuss some issues on the more or less compatible expert level,” said Peskov.
The President’s press secretary also admitted that he himself reddened in front of Putin more than once. “You know, I deeply regret skipping classes at the university, for instance, history classes… Putin takes great interest in history. When he starts talking about this or that historic event, you have nothing left than to blush with shame,” shared the press secretary.
“I made a fool of myself, and my face reddened,” said Peskov, adding that the discussion concerned Old Believers in Russia. “In the evening I ran home and started reading,” noted the press secretary.
About white cranes, saving tigers and photo shoots
Russia’s President plans public projects himself, said Peskov.
Putin’s spokesman was asked how the President’s public projects are planned, as they often create a stir among the public and trigger flows of comments on the Internet. Putin’s projects include flying with white cranes and saving Siberian tigers.
“If you think that some egghead individuals just come up with such ideas as Putin on a hang-glider, you are wrong. The situation is directly the opposite,” noted Peskov.
“Is Vladimir Vladimirovich going to fly on a hang-glider?” the interviewer asked the press secretary. “Well, he already did, with white cranes,” answered Peskov.
According to the President’s spokesman, Putin personally chooses how to spend his free time. “He chooses it himself. Well, he does not choose, in fact, he already has some hobbies. He picks what he wants to try. He has plenty of projects with the Russian Geographical Society.”
Peskov also commented on the photo shoots of the Russian President. “If you think that Putin posed in front of the camera without a shirt on purpose, you are wrong. The President is always accompanied by a personal photographer and a personal operator. And Putin just lives his own life – he works or rests. Sometimes we persuade him to publish some photos and videos, but the majority is still unpublished,” explained the press secretary.
To lie is absolutely unacceptable
Dmitry Peskov said that he never had to lie to the President. “This is absolutely unacceptable,” stressed the official.
The press secretary said that he grew up in the family of a diplomat and became a diplomat himself. Peskov added that he had a wonderful mentor. “I was very young when I first came to the USSR embassy in Ankara and met Ambassador Albert Sergeevich Chernyshov. He told me that the main principle is the following: no one on earth can make a diplomat lie. However, no one on earth can make a diplomat say exhaustive truth,” remembered Peskov.
The diplomat added that you say “what is necessary and what you are asked.” This principle works not only because Peskov is Putin’s press secretary. “Press secretary or not – it does not make any difference. I was brought up this way,” he concluded.
About the President’s family
Vladimir Putin is a wonderful father, and his daughters are doing very good, said Peskov.
The press secretary added that the President often keeps up with his “sport workaholic schedule.” “Even he works late after midnight, he finds time to swim in the pool or work out in the gym,” said Peskov.
The interviewer asked the diplomat about Putin’s pets. Speaking about the dog Connie, Peskov said, “You know, she is an old lady, and all this journalistic haste makes her very nervous.”
“The rest of them are still in place. Dog Bafik is an enormous creature. And Yumai is a Jpanese dog,” added the press secretary. Horse Vadik is also doing very good. “I don’t know where he lives now, though,” concluded Peskov.