, Columnist
Where Did Putin's Spokesman Get a $620,000 Watch?
An ostentatious display of wealth raises eyebrows, and questions.
Thin ice for Dmitry Peskov and his Olympian bride.
Photographer: S. Levin/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman for Russia's president, is known for a level of cynicism that sometimes surpasses even that of his boss, Vladimir Putin. Last weekend, though, Peskov inspired more soap opera than fear or loathing, as attention focused on his $600,000 watch and lavish wedding to a champion figure skater.
Presidential press secretaries are celebrities regardless of the country whose leader they serve: "You're mentioned in talk shows and written about in books," New York Times columnist William Safire was once quoted as saying. "Before long some start to feel as if they actually are a little president."