Vladimir Putin Talks Love and Life

Vladimir Putin, the most powerful person in the world according to Forbes magazine,  put forth his views on love and life at the 15th Congress of the Russian Geographical Society, this week.

"In general, love is the whole meaning of life, of being. Love of family, of children, and of the Motherland. It is such a multifaceted phenomenon that is the basis of all our actions," the Russian President said in his speech,  reports RIA Novosti.

Putin heads the board of trustees of the Society in Russia and also hoped that the organisation would be able to strengthen the love for the land. "This is just the most important task to which we must all strive for, and I am just absolutely convinced that we will succeed," he said.

Putin has been in power in Russia the last 15 years and has surely and strongly demonstrated his hold over his country and in the region. Russia annexed Crimea in early 2014 and has been siding with anti-Ukrainian rebels in their fight for a separate state.

The state media also manages to keep alive the myth of Putin with images of him hunting, skiing and doing martial arts.

 "The bear isn't asking anyone for permission," Putin said in another recent speech against sanctions on Russia for its support of Ukraine rebels by the west.. "The bear is considered a strong and a very traditional animal ... (and) will not surrender."

In a related event the American magazine Advocate nominated Putin as its Person of the Year, albeit ironically, reports The Washington Post.  The magazine covers LGBT related news and said that the Russian president was "driving the governmental, religious, and popular disdain for gays and lesbians."

"Putin had become the single greatest threat to LGBTs in the world in 2014," the magazine  wrote.

Russia is increasingly viewed as homophobic under Putin, although the President denies all such accusations.