俄罗斯总理普京近日宣布将参加明年的总统大选，这样一来，他在总统宝座的日子估计要持续到他71岁。近一段时间以来，俄罗斯媒体一直都对普京青春焕发的容颜颇感兴趣，怀疑他曾经注射肉毒杆菌或做过整容手术。早在去年十月普京在基辅出席会议时，就因为眼周大片青紫伤痕而被怀疑注射了肉毒杆菌。后来其发言人出面否认，称是现场灯光造成的假象。自那以后，普京的面部轮廓发生变化，皮肤日渐光滑，皱纹也不见了踪影；再次被质疑是步了意大利总理贝卢斯科尼的后尘去整了容。近日在俄罗斯流行的一个笑话说：“有人责难，称俄罗斯政坛没有新面孔；作为回应，普京去整了容。”

The Russian leader has been the subject of intense speculation in Moscow on how he keeps looking so fresh. Botox? Face lift? Fillers?

Has the Russian leader had Botox? Or even something more radical?

With his likely return to the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin looks set now to stay in power until he is 71 – but he probably won't look it.

The Russian leader has been the subject of intense speculation in Moscow on how he keeps looking so fresh. Botox? Face lift? Fillers?

The rumours first emerged last October, when Putin showed up to a meeting in Kiev sporting a massive blue-and-yellow bruise around his eye. Botox, concluded Russia's blogosphere. Putin's spokesman was forced to issue denials. "It's probably just how the light fell. The prime minister is tired."

Since then, Putin's face has contorted and smoothed out so much that it's at times unrecognisable. Talking to teens at the pro-Kremlin Nashi youth group's summer camp this year, he was at pains to smile. All wrinkles had disappeared. The blogosphere was at it again – had Putin out- Berlusconi-ed Berlusconi?

Putin and the Italian premier are close friends. It didn't seem like much of a stretch to many that they would share plastic-surgery tips and contacts.

As the reality of Putin's decision that he would return to the Kremlin next year sank in, one joke was doing the rounds: "In response to the charge that there are no new faces in Russian politics, Vladimir Putin got plastic surgery."

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(Agencies)

（中国日报网英语点津 Helen ）