Russian Sex Icon and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin Booed at Sporting Event

AFP/Getty

In my International Relations After the Cold War class today, I learned that Russian PM Vladimir Putin was booed at a sporting event. It was relevant to the course material since my professor was lecturing about U.S.-Russian relations.

I wrote about Russia and how pernicious of a country it is at TruthAboutBills last week.

Putin’s Russia is an oligarchic, neo-imperialist government that desires to unify former Soviet satellites under a Eurasian banner. It also aides and abets Iran, along with similar enemy nations.

Putin’s growing unpopularity is cited as the reason behind the booing, although the Krelim has denied such and instead, attributed the booing to disdain for the American boxer.

BBC News has more on the story:

Mr Putin stepped into the ring at the end of a fight on Sunday between Russian fighter Fedor Emelianenko and his American opponent, Jeff Monson.

As he started to speak, the audience began booing and hissing, in scenes broadcast live on Russian TV.

Mr Putin’s supporters later claimed the audience was jeering Mr Monson.

The director of the Olimpisky stadium which hosted the fight, Mikhail Moskalyov, told local media that the audience was reacting as the American fighter left the ring.

Related articles

• Crowds boo Vladimir Putin (telegraph.co.uk)
• MMA Fans Boo Vladimir Putin, Will Soon Watch Fights In Gulags [Video] (deadspin.com)
• Vladimir Putin steps into the ring to jeers from Moscow fight fans (guardian.co.uk)
• Putin ‘booed’ at sporting event (bbc.co.uk)
• WOW: Putin Booed By Russian Martial Arts Fans (businessinsider.com)