MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said he would not allow gay marriage in Russia as long as he is president. Putin made this clear when he spoke at a recent meeting to discuss the constitutional amendment. He had already made it clear that he was against gay marriage. Under the law passed by Putin in 2013, promoting homosexuality is a crime in Russia. Putin, 67, has been in Russia for over two decades. Putin holds the record for the longest-running of Russia since the Communist leader Joseph Stalin.
Most of the Russian Christians are members of the Russian Orthodox Church. There is a strong bond between the Orthodox Church and the government. Putin, an Orthodox believer, attends all Christian festivals. Earlier, Putin had publicly stated that he could not think of Russia without the spiritual experience of the Russian Church and that it was his responsibility as head of state to prevent same-sex marriage.
