Where’s the best place to pop the big question?
Paris? A sunset beach? Maybe your favourite cosy café? How about… live on Russian television, in front of Vladimir Putin?
That’s exactly the route regional journalist Kirill Bazhanov chose — and against all odds, it worked.
Midway through President Putin’s marathon end-of-year press conference, Bazhanov stood up, red bow tie perfectly in place.
He was holding a sign that read: “I want to get married.”
“I know my girlfriend is watching right now,” he told the room packed with mostly pro-government reporters.
“Olechka, marry me!” The audience erupted in applause.
Unexpected Proposal Accepted
Putin’s annual televised event is known for many things — fiery geopolitics, impromptu poetry, even promises to fix local potholes.
It is a showcase of his wide-ranging addresses. Marriage proposals? Not so much.
Still, Bazhanov had to wait. An hour passed. Then the hosts broke in with the verdict.
She said yes.
Cheers echoed again. Putin declined an invitation to the wedding but couldn’t resist adding a practical note.
Referring to young families and finances, he joked: “A man should be the breadwinner.
Let’s pass the hat around and collect enough for the wedding.”
Not quite a fairy tale ending — but proof that sometimes, the most unlikely stage delivers the perfect “yes.”
