Russia is Crazy

This is a true story. Look it up. To me, it is simply one more piece of evidence how Russia is a dictatorship (not that any more was needed), and more than that, interesting for just how crazy it is.

Alina Kabaeva was a rhythmic gymnast. If you are like me, and have never really paid attention to gymnastics, you probably dont know who she is. Turns out she is 25, and already retired (more on that later), but in her short career she amassed a vast number of medals including an Olympic gold.

She became very popular in Russia, and when she retired in 2005 she went straight into politics and was elected to the lower consultative legislative body (the Public Chamber of Russia).

From about that time on she was linked to Putin, as a mistress. Alina had been selected as the 'most beautiful woman in Russia' according to a Maxim like magazine.

In 2007, at the age of 23 (if my math is right) she was elected to the Duma, the legislature of Russia. This time the rumors of her and Putin got stronger, and a Moscow rag ran with them. Both parties strongly denied the truth of the rumors.

Shortly afterwards the owner of the newspaper decided to shut it down, due to "editorial differences."

Let me put it another way. It would be like Michelle Kwan retiring from ice skating in 2000, being elected to the House of Representitives, shortly thereafter being linked to G.W. Bush. Getting then elected to the Senate in 2003, and Bush closing down the New York Post because it ran a story on the two of them. It would be the scandal of the century.

Except in Russia, no one talks about it. Because if they did, they would either be shut down, or killed.

Crazy.

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