Remember Alexander Litvinenko? Polonium'd by Putin?

[intrepidity]

Upon recently listening to a podcast about that story, there was one very brief mention of something that I'd never heard before, and I'm wondering if anyone had heard this before.

Just before he was successfully poisoned (on 3rd attempt), Litvinenko talked about having seen a video or photo of Putin raising the shirt of and kissing a young boy's belly, and Litvinenko had a startling realization that Putin was a pedophile.

The podcast did not elaborate any further than just mentioning it in passing, and I wondered if this ever evolved into a scandal at all.

Does anyone remember anything about this?

[dchill]

1. I never heard that.

[ck4829]

2. I remember that. I was suspicious of Putin ever since.

[Wingus Dingus]

3. I saw that video. It was...weird.

Inappropriate. I don't know if Pootie is a pedo, or has some other sort of mental issue that prevents him from engaging people normally.

[intrepidity]

4. Did it elicit any scandal at the time? nt

[Wingus Dingus]

5. I don't remember any reaction to it, just saw it somewhere and thought, "Eww."

[Celerity]

6. Putin kisses a boy on stomach

100,256 views
Jun 29, 2006

Rusian president Vladimir Putin talks with tourists in Kremlin and unexpectable kisses little boy.

[iemanja]

24. Doesn't seem like pedo behavior to me

I hate to be in the position of defending Putin, but I'm not buying it.

[zuul]

7. I remember the rumors of Putin being a pedo, but the incident seems

pretty innocent in the video below, especially since it was in broad daylight in front of a crowd:

This article provides Putin's explanation: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/putin-explains-tummy-kiss/

"He seemed to me very independent, very serious, but at the same time a boy is always vulnerable. He was very sweet. I'll be honest: I felt an urge to squeeze him like a kitten, and that led to the gesture that I made. There was nothing behind it really," Putin said, smiling.

[intrepidity]

8. Yeah, I'd personally probably not thought much of it

but it was ex-FSB Litvinenko who made the comment, so that casts it in a different light than from a casual observer, imho.

eta: there may have (would have) been a depth of background info available to someone like Litvinenko that may have informed his conclusion.

[Phoenix61]

9. There is nothing innocent about that. It's a

massive invasion of personal space, classic grooming behavior. I wouldn’t be surprised if Putin perped on anyone he could get his hands on and that would be anyone he wanted.

[zuul]

10. It was a little weird, but Putin is a little weird.

I have a kid and I wouldn't call Putin a pedophile based on this video alone.

Look, I get it, the whole world hates Putin right now. But this video alone is not evidence of any wrong-doing or "classic grooming behavior" as much as we might like it to be.

[Phoenix61]

12. I worked CPS. You are welcome to think

what you want but that’s grooming. Step one is eroding personal space.

[zuul]

13. And you are welcome to think what you want.

I still disgree with you.

[Phoenix61]

14. That's what perps count on.

Their initial actions seem so innocent. Every single case I’ve been involved with, whether it’s a child or an adult survivor, always starts the same. It’s literally their MO.

[zuul]

15. You wrote that you worked with CPS.

The video is the only "evidence" that Putin is a pedophile. Rumors from his enemy Navalny do not count as evidence.

Based on that video alone, would any investigation into Putin hold water? Of course not. Would you be in favor of charging someone of pedophilia based on this video alone?

[Phoenix61]

16. Somethings are massive red flag, like that.

I didn’t say he should be charged based on that video and there’s no way of knowing what a real investigation would uncover. I worked cases that seemed clear cut only to uncover a nightmare that ended with children being removed from the home. That being said, I sure as hell wouldn’t let any kid I knew anywhere near someone who did that. Ever. Not worth the risk.

[zuul]

17. So you won't defend your previous argument.

I'm done with this conversation and will now put you on ignore. You are happy to throw baseless accusations around because Putin is despised across the world. This is a silly argument, without evidence, and crap like this is not worthy of DU.

Have a nice day.

[Disaffected]

19. Agreed.

This puts me to mind of the child abuse scandal that swept a small town in Saskatchewan years ago. Baseless suspicions that got blown by the cops, media, child welfare officials and the public into gross, extremely damaging and, groundless accusation's directed at the operators of a day care home.

[kcr]

20. You might as well put the majority of DU on ignore, then

You can start with me. Most people don't take kindly to defending pedophelia.

[Disaffected]

26. And who the hell is

defending pedophilia here??

[Brainfodder]

11. If you aren't careful this is how rumors get started?

Keep up the good...

[Disaffected]

18. Looks pretty innocent to me.

Certainly nowhere near enough to support an aqusation of pedophilia.

ISTR a Simpsons episode where Homer or one of Marg's sisters did that to Maggy - was that a depiction of pedophilia?? I doubt it...

[kcr]

23. Was that Putin's nephew or son?

[Disaffected]

25. Probably not.

But so what? Perhaps it's not uncommon in Russia (is it?).

Are politicians who kiss babies also automatic pedophile suspects?

[WhiskeyGrinder]

21. Politicians love hugging and kissing babies and small children, I hear.

[LisaL]

22. Russian politicians are also known for going around kissing each other.

"The kiss, however, is a symbol of communist political culture. The “socialist fraternal kiss” is in fact a seal of an understanding between two leaders or a sign of a close bond between the two countries they represent. Kissing is often practiced on the cheek in most cases. The tradition comes from the Orthodox Church and is a form of daily expression of the close bond between community members. For communist political leaders, this kiss was a formality. The socialist fraternal kiss was also practiced by Mikhail Gorbachev, also with the German Honecker."

https://historyofyesterday.com/how-the-kiss-between-two-political-leaders-shocked-the-world-8aa8d7b7a29d