Kremlin denies Putin stole US tycoon Robert Kraft's ring
It was clearly a gift says Putin's spokesman; if Kraft believes otherwise he should see a psychoanalyst

AS IF he didn’t have enough on his plate, what with David Cameron trying to arm the Syrian rebels against his wishes, Vladimir Putin has had to defend himself against a charge of daylight robbery.
It follows a claim that the Russian president stole a souvenir Super Bowl ring from the American tycoon Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots.
Kraft told an awards gala at New York's Carnegie Hall that during a visit to St Petersburg in 2005 he showed Putin the 4.94-carat, diamond-encrusted ring – and Putin immediately pocketed it.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"I took out the ring and showed it to [Putin], and he put it on and he goes: 'I can kill someone with this ring'," Kraft, told his audience. Then, he says, Putin calmly popped it in his pocket.
According to the New York Post, Kraft tried to get the White House to help him recover the ring – but they advised him to treat it as a gift.
Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said he was actually there (as was Rupert Murdoch, incidentally) when Kraft handed over the ring and it was clearly meant as a gift. Any suggestion, said Peskov, that Kraft was put under pressure should be an issue for "detailed discussion with psychoanalysts".
Peskov, in London with Putin, before heading to the G8 summit, told reporters: "If the gentleman is really experiencing such excruciating pain from his loss... the president is ready to send him any other ring he can buy for that kind of money."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
As the Daily Telegraph explains, the ring is worth about $25,000. It was one of 70 given to the Patriots after they won the Super Bowl in February 2005.
Kraft is trying to play it down. A spokesperson said he was very happy that his ring was at the Kremlin and that it was a "humorous, anecdotal story that Robert retells for laughs".
-
How is Chili's saving casual dining? Could others follow?
Today's Big Question Value and TikTok virality bring in the diners
-
NASA is abandoning the climate
The Explainer Climate missions could be going dark
-
Every MCU movie since 'Avengers: Endgame,' ranked
The Week Recommends How did the recent 'Fantastic Four: First Steps' stack up?
-
Will Ukraine trade territory for peace?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION Kyiv’s defences are wearing thin but a land swap is constitutionally impossible and crosses Zelenskyy's red lines
-
Russia tries Ukraine land grab before Trump summit
Speed Read The incursion may be part of Putin's efforts to boost his bargaining position
-
Europe counters Putin ahead of Trump summit
Speed Read President Trump will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska this week for Ukraine peace talks
-
Who wins from a Trump-Putin meeting?
Today's Big Question Trump might get the leaders together for a photo op but brokering a peace deal won’t be easy
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctions
The Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
Russia's 'shared values' visa
The Explainer The 'anti-woke' scheme is aimed at foreigners who reject LGBTQ+ rights and 'non-traditional' values – and who can provide Moscow with online clout and skilled workers
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?
today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
Trump says Putin vowed retaliation for Kyiv strike
speed read The Russian president intends to respond to Ukraine's weekend drone strikes on Moscow's warplanes