Russian prankster claims he called Elton John as Putin

Image
Press Trust of India Los Angeles
Last Updated : Sep 17 2015 | 6:13 PM IST
Legendary musician Elton John's phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin has turned out to be a hoax by two TV presenters.
The 68-year-old singer thought chatted about gay rights with Putin and posted an Instagram photo thanking the Russian President for the call, reported CNN.
Komsomolskaya Pravda, a Russian celebrity prankster known as "Vovan" - whose real name is Vladimir Krasnov - along with his partner, made the prank call to the British singer, playing the roles of Putin and a press secretary, after John said he wanted to meet the former to discuss gay rights in Russia.
"We thought Putin wouldn't want to meet him or call him at least in the nearest future, but it turned out Elton John's been waiting for such a call.
"That's why he immediately believed we were exactly those whom we introduced ourselves as," Krasnov said.
John thanked the Russian President in his Instagram post that led to a denial from Kremlin.
"Thank-you to President Vladimir Putin for reaching out and speaking via telephone with me today. I look forward to meeting with you face-to-face to discuss LGBT equality in Russia," John wrote, alongside a a photo of the Russian leader.
Krasnov has a history of making prank calls to celebrities and politicians, including former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Sep 17 2015 | 6:13 PM IST

Next Story