Photo Allegedly Shows Putin Undercover During Reagan Visit
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A picture has emerged apparently showing Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in his former days as a KGB officer.
The 20-year old photo depicts two world leaders – U.S. President Ronald Reagan and the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev — in Moscow.
But, according to the man who took the photo, it also captures Putin disguised as a tourist.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Pete Souza, now President Obama's official photographer, captured the moment when he worked for President Reagan during the political thaw that soon ended the Cold War.
Reagan took a stroll around Red Square accompanied by the Russian leader, who then introduced him to a group of tourists.
In an interview, Souza recounted being surprised at the "pointed" questions these supposed tourists asked the U.S. leader.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}They included searching inquiries on the state of human rights in the U.S.
The identity of the man on the left of the photo — complete with camera round his neck — was later revealed and "verified" to Souza as none other than Putin.
The planting of KGB officers as bystanders was a common practice in Soviet times.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}During the tense stand-off of the Cold War, they would be used to challenge foreign leaders during visits to Russia.
But, while acknowledging this practice, a Russian political analyst and author of books on Vladimir Putin dismissed Souza's claims as "nonsense."
"Vladimir Putin was a major serving in Dresden and he wasn't important enough at that time to be brought to Moscow,"said Andrey Piontkovsky.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Click here to see the photo and to read more on this story from Sky News.