A_Lex has followed the leads, and found several interesting bits of news regarding Putin and Cthulhu…
A_Lex reports:
Well, as with most events involving Mythos creatures, not much evidence is available.
illustration courtesy of lenta.ru online news service
However, only a few English speaking internet users know that Putin has answered that question, as there are few English articles where the this event is mentioned prominently. In fact, only the Moscow and the St. Petersburg divisions of Times magazine quote president’s answer to the Cthulhu Question.
The St. Peterburg Times article http://www.times.spb.ru/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=18178
Moscow Times article requires rgistration, which costs $40 http://www.moscowtimes.ru/stories/2006/07/10/013.html
There are other mentions of the Chthulhu question in the English-speaking internet, but they are pretty vague
However, Russian speaking sites are blazing with Cthulhu-related comments:
“Putin advises Cthulhu admirers to read Koran, Bible and Talmud”
http://lenta.ru/news/2006/07/06/all/
Quote (my translation):
When asked about his attitude towards Cthulhu, Putin said that he looks with suspicion on Cthulhu and various other “supernatural powers”, and advised: “If somebody wishes to turn to the true values, better read Bible, Talmud or Koran”
“Putin admits he looks with suspicion upon otherworldly powers” http://www.rian.ru/politics/russia/20060706/51005457.html
And even
“Putin calls Cthulhu suspicious” http://www.gzt.ru/politics/2006/07/06/210507.html
This one is definitely worth looking into, it is “Gazeta”, the Russian daily Telegraph division (no Cthulhu on Daily Telegraph’s main site, though).
Also, full text quotes of Cthulhu answer appear in Russian on http://net.compulenta.ru/276592
Finally, a very important piece of evidence: there is a site out there boasting to have a record of that part of conference: http://www.radiomayak.ru/interview/06/07/06/52164-audio.html
Unfortunately, it still remains unclear what activities of the sleeping Great Old One have aroused Putin’s suspicions and what Chthulhu is suspected of…
As always, there are, and will be, dark, horrible, twisted mysteries, mercifully hidden from our knowledge. Will they ever be uncovered? Well, one would better ask “should they?”…