YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK, January 1. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that 50 years ago, his family could afford purchasing a TV set to watch ice hockey matches involving the Soviet team.
Putin participated in the anniversary edition of Channel One’s Vremya (or Time) newscast, which turned 50 on January 1. The president answered a few questions by the hosts, one of which concerned old TV shows that he still remembered.
"We were not rich, but we did have a TV set, as did our neighbors," Putin said. "My parents lived paycheck to paycheck and sometimes borrowed money from other people, but they still could afford to purchase a TV set," Putin said, adding that family members did not often gather together to watch TV.
When asked which TV show appealed to him the most 50 years ago, the head of state noted that "a flight of the Tupolev Tu-144 supersonic aircraft" had been one of the most impressive events that taking place in the late 1960s and early 1970s. "It seemed to be something fantastic, and in fact, it still does. But back then, it was something unimaginable," Putin added.
He also mentioned "outstanding sporting events" and "the well-known 1972 ice hockey series" between the Soviet Union and Canada. "My mother was a fan of the Soviet team…I remember… this is what we used to watch together," Putin said.