Putin says kissing boy's stomach was like stroking a cat

Russians finally got an answer to the question thousands of people wanted to ask President Vladimir Putin - why did he kiss a small boy on the stomach?



During a live webcast yesterday Mr Putin explained that the incident in the Kremlin on June 28, when he encountered the boy, called Nikita, lifted his shirt and kissed his stomach, was a spontaneous gesture similar to stroking a cat.

He said: "It was an unplanned meeting -- people just came up and started talking to me. He seemed very independent and serious. At the same time a child is always defenceless and nice. I wanted to stroke him like a cat and it came out in this gesture. There was nothing behind it."