Conley
10-06-2011, 09:46 AM
Vladimir Putin diving discovery was staged, spokesman admits
Vladimir Putin's seemingly remarkable discovery of two ancient Greek amphorae beneath the waters of the Black Sea this summer was a staged set-up, his spokesman has admitted.
In an uncharacteristically unguarded admission, the Russian prime minister's spokesman conceded that the amphorae had been planted in shallow water for Mr Putin to find by well-meaning archaeologists keen to please the Russian strong man.
"Putin did not find the amphorae on the sea bed that had been lying there for thousands of years," said Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman. "That is obvious. They were found during an (archaeological) expedition several weeks or days beforehand. Of course they were then left there (for him to find) or placed there. It is a completely normal thing to do."
The archaeologists had wanted the 58-year-old politician to experience what it was like to be on an expedition, he added.
The disclosure is totally at odds with how the episode was presented to the Russian public on state TV.
In typically fawning coverage, state TV broadcast images of a wetsuit-clad Mr Putin emerging from the sea clutching the remains of the two ancient vessels (that were once used to store wine or olive oil). "Treasure!," Mr Putin said with a big smile, quipping that there was nothing left to drink in the artefacts.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/8808689/Vladimir-Putin-diving-discovery-was-staged-spokesman-admits.html
Vladimir, say it ain't so!! :'( Just when you thought you could trust the Russians ;)
Vladimir Putin's seemingly remarkable discovery of two ancient Greek amphorae beneath the waters of the Black Sea this summer was a staged set-up, his spokesman has admitted.
In an uncharacteristically unguarded admission, the Russian prime minister's spokesman conceded that the amphorae had been planted in shallow water for Mr Putin to find by well-meaning archaeologists keen to please the Russian strong man.
"Putin did not find the amphorae on the sea bed that had been lying there for thousands of years," said Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman. "That is obvious. They were found during an (archaeological) expedition several weeks or days beforehand. Of course they were then left there (for him to find) or placed there. It is a completely normal thing to do."
The archaeologists had wanted the 58-year-old politician to experience what it was like to be on an expedition, he added.
The disclosure is totally at odds with how the episode was presented to the Russian public on state TV.
In typically fawning coverage, state TV broadcast images of a wetsuit-clad Mr Putin emerging from the sea clutching the remains of the two ancient vessels (that were once used to store wine or olive oil). "Treasure!," Mr Putin said with a big smile, quipping that there was nothing left to drink in the artefacts.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/8808689/Vladimir-Putin-diving-discovery-was-staged-spokesman-admits.html
Vladimir, say it ain't so!! :'( Just when you thought you could trust the Russians ;)