Putin laughing
Vladimir Putin had to cover his face as he burst out laughing uncontrollably at the suggestion that Russia should export pork to Muslim-majority Indonesia.

The usually stern-faced Russian President was overcome with a rare fit of the giggles when Russia's Minister of Agriculture suggested the move to Putin during a meeting last week as a way to increase overseas trade.

While comparing Russia's exporting figures to those of Germany, Mr Tkachov said: "They (Germany) send half their pork to export.


"Look at Germany's numbers: five and a half million tonnes of pork produced a year, of that almost three million is exported to all countries, to China, to Indonesia, to Japan, Korea, and so on."

Putin chuckled and responded: "Indonesia is a Muslim country. They do not eat pork there."

Mr Tkachov then joked: "They will," before the president says: "No, they will not."

Putin then covered his face as he burst out into a fit of giggles at the exchange.

Mr Tkachov later said he meant to suggest South Korea rather than Indonesia.

Putin cracked another rare smile last week when he was presented with a puppy as a gift for his 65th birthday from Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.