Thirty years of marriage and two children later, Russian President Vladimir Putin has formally divorced his wife Lyudmila, Kremlin spokesman said on Wednesday.
In an almost surprise breakup last year, the news of the split was announced in a stilted scene at the Grand Kremlin Palace, Reuters reported.
"The divorce has taken place," Dmitry Peskov said, without giving any further details.
Confirming longstanding speculation that they had separated, a live broadcast on Russian state television was used last June to break the news of Putin and his wife ending their marriage.
However, it was specified and made clear by Kremlin that the separation had to be finalized, according to Reuters.
"The ex-KGB spy, 61, keeps his personal life private and little is known about his wife and two daughters, both in their 20s," Reuters reported.
"In 2008, Putin said there was no truth to a newspaper report that he was preparing to marry Olympic rhythmic gymnast Alina Kabayeva, who was born in 1983, the same year he married Lyudmila."
The relationship was also denied by Kabayeva at the Sochi Olympics opening ceremony in February.
Demanding that journalists keep their "snotty noses" out of his private affairs, Putin had chastised the media. The newspaper, Moskovsky Korrespondent, folded shortly afterwards.
According to ABC News, "Putin and his ex-wife, Lyudmila Shkrebneva, who worked as a flight attendant, met through a mutual friend when she stopped off in Leningrad for a few days."
The couple married on July 28, 1983
"I was used to life as a bachelor, but Lyudmila changed that," Putin said, according to his biography.
Lyudmila, described him as a loving father to their two daughters, Barbara and Jenna, according to his biography, ABC News reported.
"He has always spoiled them, while I was the one who had to discipline them," she said.
