Putin Mocks The United States Embassy For Flying The Rainbow Flag

MOSCOW (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin mocked the United States embassy in Moscow on Friday for flying a rainbow flag to celebrate LGBT rights, suggesting it reflects the sexual orientation of his staff.

His comments followed a nationwide vote on constitutional reforms that included an amendment that enshrines the definition of marriage specifically as a union between a man and a woman.

Putin said the movement by the United States embassy to raise the LGBT pride flag “revealed something about the people who work there.”

“However, it is not a big deal. We have talked about this many times, and our position is clear, ”said Putin, who has tried to distance Russia from Western liberal values ​​and has aligned himself with the Russian Orthodox Church.

“Yes, we passed a law that prohibits the propaganda of homosexuality among minors. And that? Let people grow, become adults, and then decide their own destinies. ”

Legislation has been used to stop gay pride marches and detain gay rights activists.

Putin said during the campaign to change the constitution that he would not let the traditional notion of mother and father be subverted by what he called “father number 1” and “father number 2”.

On Friday, the head of the Russian Women’s Union, Ekaterina Lakhova, told Putin that she feared that an ice cream with the ‘Rainbow’ brand, as well as other multi-colored advertising, could constitute propaganda of non-traditional values ​​and have a harmful effect. in children, the RIA news agency reported.

“Even indirectly, such things accustom our children to that … flag, the one that hung the embassy,” Lakhova said.

“It would be great to have a commission to ensure that the values ​​that we uphold in our constitution are respected,” he said.

Other countries have also waved rainbow flags outside their embassies in Moscow, including Britain.