Russian journalists have counted how many times Putin has kissed other people's children in public

Polygon decided to count the number of times Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin kissed other people's children in public. Reportedly, it was not easy and the count was done "virtually by hand". There were almost 30 cases.

The newspaper quotes Alexander Ivanova, a clinical psychologist at the antiwar Free Psychological Aid Project, as saying: "This may have sexual overtones, and traumatize children's psyches.

Journalists write that the president kissed the most children in 2019, 2018, and 2011 - in those years, Putin kissed three children a year. He showed love to two children in 2008, as well as in 2013 and 2014. He kissed one child each in 2017, 2015, 2010, 2004, 2003 and 2001.

Thus, over his 23 years in power, Putin has kissed an average of 1.2 children a year," the journalists point out.

It is noted that the president's first public kiss since the pandemic with a child was recorded on June 28 in Dagestan. During an evening stroll in Derbent, he did not hold back his emotions and kissed a girl who only wanted to take a photo with him.

The President kisses children's hands, lips, cheeks, tops. And if a part of his body is hidden, he does not hesitate to bare it to express his feelings. As in the case of the boy Nikita in the Kremlin in 2006, to whom he pulled up his T-shirt and kissed his stomach.

Putin's kisses according to Polygon's calculations

• The president kissed the most children in 2011, 2018 and 2019 - three a year (2011 and 2018 were his presidential campaigns).
• Two children each were kissed in 2008, 2013 and 2014.
• One baby kissed each in 2001, 2003, 2004, 2010, 2015 and 2017.
• Did not kiss children in public in 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2016 (he was temporarily out as president in 2007-2011).

Psychologist Aleksandanda Ivanova, who was approached by the publication, believes that Putin's behavior could be called sexual abuse, since the child's boundaries have been violated and children may be frightened.

But does the child want it? And yet, no adult reacts in any way. And a strange situation arises: the child doesn't want it, he doesn't like it. And here everyone reacts around: "Oh, my God, what a lovely thing! Putin kissed you!". And as a result, the child doesn't know what to do with his feelings. He didn't like it, but everyone is happy for some reason. And what idea can the child, what idea can he then get, that this is as if it were the norm?" the expert pointed out.

Other psychologists suggested that such "tenderness" in public could be related to the PR of the Kremlin head. However, all the experts pointed out that the public interest in this topic is high. At the same time, Putin has never spoken on the subject.