Vladimir Vladimirowitsch Putin

Looking through the paper this morning I saw together with the latest news on Russia a large head and shoulder picture of President Putin.

Nothing odd about that you might think.

No, except in that one Vladimir Vladimirowitsch was smiling.

And I wondered what significance it might have.

“Comrades,this man has a nice smile,but he’s got iron teeth”

Andrej Gromyko 1909-89 . On Mikhail Gorbachev; speech to the Soviet Communist Party Central Committe. 11 March 1985