Russian president Putin and wife are divorcing

MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin and his wife Lyudmila have announced they are divorcing.

Married just a few weeks short of 30 years, the Putins announced the decision on state television after attending a ballet performance in the Kremlin on Thursday evening.

"It was our joint decision," Putin said.

Lyudmila Putin was rarely seen in public during her husband's long tenure at the top of Russian politics.

"I don't like publicity and flying is difficult for me," she said.