Putin mentions his KGB past and shows support for LGBT community

In his address to the St Petersburg International Cultural Forum, Russian President Vladimir Putin suddenly mentioned his former work for the Committee for State Security (KGB). He also made a statement in support of the LGBT community.

Source: Russian media; Radio Liberty

Details: Putin recalled his KGB past as he was commenting on a ban on Russian television channels in Italy.

Quote: "You asked if we know how it is done. As a former KGB officer, I know how to do it, but we don't."

Details: His response was met with fawning smiles and applause from the audience.

The Russian dictator also spoke out in support of representatives of the LGBT community.

Putin began by saying that in order to win cultural competitions in the West, he imagines it is necessary to "talk about, write or show something from the lives of sexual minorities, transgenders [sic] and other transformers".

Quote: "I’m going to say something unexpected: they too – these topics and these people – have the right to win [competitions], to show and to tell [their stories]. Because this is part of society too, it’s how some people live. It's bad if they are the only ones to win all these competitions – we don’t want that. But this desire for equality... this equality should be everywhere, in everything – especially cultural competitions."

More details: Russia now has a law banning so-called LGBT propaganda, which applies to any statements supportive of the LGBT community.

According to the practice of Russian courts, a citizen who spoke out the way Putin did at the St Petersburg forum could be fined up to RUB 200,000 (approx. US$2,240) as a private individual and up to RUB 400,000 (approx. US$4,480) as an official.

Furthermore, Putin's speech was made on the same day that Russia’s Ministry of Justice appealed to the Supreme Court demanding that the "international LGBT social movement" be recognised as extremist.

For reference: Putin served as a KGB foreign intelligence officer for 16 years, including 6 years in Dresden, Germany.

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