Putin Visits Skating Rink to Bring in New Year
Russian President Vladimir Putin paid a visit to the city ice skating rink on Red Square to greet the children and hand out candy. Also on hand were some of the best ice skaters in the country - Irina Slutskaya, Tatyana Tarasova and Vladimir Vasilyev were there to give a special class to children who attended the New Year celebration at the Kremlin. The event, which has been going on for decades, is one of the highlights of the holiday season in Moscow. After Putin met the skaters on the ice, they then reconvened at a cafe for tea.
The children surrounded Putin when he stepped on the ice - he didn’t even get a chance to make it to the Christmas tree by some accounts. He also received a gift from the GUM shopping center, a container with candy and chocolate inside. Putin offered the candy tin around after stuffing his pockets with some for himself.
When the pretty Russian woman skater Irina Slutskaya was handed the candy box, she protested, reportedly saying “Me? But Vladimir Vladimirovich, what if I get poisoning?” This brought a smile to Putin’s face, and Irina later explained that she only feared being poisoned by a candy overdose.
