Putin Lauds Courageous `Erotic' Student Models in Naomi Campbell Interview

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin praised the female students who posed for an “erotic” calendar to honor his 58th birthday, telling model Naomi Campbell that they were “courageous,” British GQ magazine reported.

“As student journalists, they couldn’t fail to understand what might have been said to them after doing this,” Putin said in an interview posted on GQ’s website. “Nonetheless, they were not deterred and did the calendar anyway. So, frankly, that’s what I liked the most.”

Twelve Moscow State University journalism students posed in lingerie to mark Putin’s Oct. 7 birthday with a calendar that was sold at Groupe Auchan SA supermarkets in Moscow for 259 rubles ($8.74) apiece. Each month’s model had her own message for Putin, including “You put out the forest fires, but I’m still burning,” and “You only get better with the years.”

“Some girls in the journalism department decided a calendar would be a great way to show our support of Putin’s policies,” Ksenia Seleznyova, an 18-year-old second-year student, said in an interview when the calendar was released.

Seleznyova is pictured topless as the calendar’s Miss December and included her mobile phone number for Putin to call if he wants a “personal” birthday greeting. ‘If Putin actually calls me, I’ll wish him happy birthday with all my heart,” she said at the time.

To contact the reporter on this story: Lyubov Pronina in Moscow at lpronina@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Brad Cook in Moscow at Bcook7@bloomberg.net

Oct. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Twelve Moscow State University journalism students posed in lingerie for a calendar congratulating Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on his 58th birthday, which he celebrates today. The 259-ruble ($8.73) calendar, which went on sale in Groupe Auchan SA supermarkets in the capital yesterday, features female students and captions such as “You put out the forest fires, but I’m still burning.” Bloomberg's Scarlet Fu reports. (Source: Bloomberg)