Tabloid apologises for Putin’s ‘wedding’

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Moscow, Apr 18: The Russian tabloid Moskovsky Korrespondent on Friday apologised for carrying a report that President Vladimir Putin is to marry a rhythmic gymnast, saying “there is no factual base for our publication”.

The tabloid accepted that it cannot substantiate its own report on Putin’s “wedding with a famous gymnast” and apologised for the “moral pain” inflicted to the persons concerned.

In its weekend issue, the tabloid, specialising on spicy gossip about celebrities, had reported about 55-year-old Putin’s “plans” to wed former Olympic rhythmic gymnast Alina Kabayeva (25) on June 15.

Moskovsky Korrespondent had also claimed that the Russian leader had divorced his wife Lyudmila back in February, although on March 2 they were publicly seen together at the polling station to cast their vote for the presidential election.

“In our matter only some rumours and some facts, which we presumed substantiate these rumours, were reflected. To say, there is no factual base for our publication. We accept this.

“We deeply regret if the information published in our article was found by its heroes as insulting. We apologise to all those, who consider that this story has caused them moral sufferings,” Moskovsky Korrespondent on Friday wrote in its front-page editorial.

Earlier, Kabayeva, a member of the State Duma (lower house of Russian Parliament), through her press spokesperson Elisaveta Ovchinnikova, had categorically denied the report and had demanded the tabloid issue a denial or face libel charges. The Kremlin, which is used to scores of stories being published about President Putin in the so-called ‘ellow press’, as usual this time also said ‘no comments’.

The story of Putin-Kabayeva wedding was based on sources in the outgoing president’s hometown St. Petersburg establishment, saying a popular event-managing company has been ordered to make arrangements for it.

“We have drawn other conclusions also, for example, how to work with our sources and how to verify the obtained information,” Moskovsky Korrespondent editors wrote, accepting that in the course of pursuing their duty as journalist to inform the public, they unwittingly “crossed the permissible limits” in the Russian society.

Tabloid’s apology came a day after its owner, former KGB-agent-turned billionaire Alexander Lebedev, washed his hands off the report, saying under the media laws the editorial must either produce convincing facts or apologise and face the consequences.