• By
  • Paul Sonne

MOSCOW—Vladimir Putin was late for the first day of class on Monday at a school in the Russian city of Kurgan. But he made up for his tardiness with a gift: some seriously one-of-a-kind drawing skills.

The Russian president arrived at School Number 7 in the city in Russia’s south, close to Kazakhstan’s border, and promptly received a demonstration of a classroom’s new interactive whiteboard.


Midway through the teacher’s explanation of how students can write on the high-tech slate with their fingers alone, Mr. Putin suddenly took to the whiteboard with intent.

The teacher emitted a nervous laugh. First, Mr. Putin drew a vertical oblong shape. Then he drew a broad oval intersecting with the vertical oblong shape. Then he dotted the broad oval. Then he drew what were maybe some fluffy wings? A fly? A bee? A crane?

The 60-year-old president continued his masterpiece with silent aplomb. “That’s a souvenir for you,” Mr Putin finally said as he finished up his masterpiece and stepped away from the whiteboard.

A wave of quiet puzzlement seemed to overcome the room. The president remained mum and started making his way out the door.

“What is that?!” a brave student finally yelled.

Mr. Putin cupped his hand next to his mouth as if telling a secret. He said: “It’s a cat, from behind.”