IN RUSSIA, in the reasonably near future (a couple of decades from now), former president, Vladimir Vladimirovich is slipping ever deeper into the mire of senility.

A new ‘official’ history of Russia to be used in schools will devote an entire chapter to Vladimir Putin’s domination of politics since he came to power in 2000.

Russian president Vladimir Putin and his wife Lyudmila have announced they are divorcing.