A Russian Trophy

MANIFESTO

A number of newspapers are reporting this morning that Russian autocrat Vladimir

Putin had secretly divorced his wife Ludmilla two months ago and was planning a secret wedding in June. The bride was alleged to be Alina Kabayeva, an Olympic gold medallist for rhythmic gymnastics. On her website, Ms Kabayeva says her hobbies include pets and collecting cuddly toys ... Putin denied that he was planning to marry [the] 24-year-old gymnast ... and told journalists to keep their "snotty noses" out of his private life.

Besides the humorous aspect of this (cf. the tawdry Smith-Marshall affair), there's a dark side: The newspaper that first reported the disaffiliation and liaison, the Moskovsky Korrespondent, has all of a sudden had its publication suspended for "financial reasons." So much for freedom of the press in 21st century Russia.

Once again, Orwell nails it:

No question, now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs. The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.