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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Who are Vladimir Putin's pals, the Night Wolves? | Who are Vladimir Putin's pals, the Night Wolves? |
| (4 months later) | |
| Age: founded in May 1989, so getting on for 24. | Age: founded in May 1989, so getting on for 24. |
| Appearance: a mass of black leather, blue jeans, bald heads and beer bellies; a veritable male mid-life crisis pandemic. | Appearance: a mass of black leather, blue jeans, bald heads and beer bellies; a veritable male mid-life crisis pandemic. |
| Are Motörhead on tour? Close. The Night Wolves are a Russian motorcycle gang. | Are Motörhead on tour? Close. The Night Wolves are a Russian motorcycle gang. |
| That sounds a bit silly to me. Perhaps, but the Night Wolves – or Nochniye Volki – grew out of the anti-Soviet "rock culture" of the 1980s, and closely align themselves with the fight for freedom. Their manifesto rejects all laws and speaks of the power of the Brotherhood. | That sounds a bit silly to me. Perhaps, but the Night Wolves – or Nochniye Volki – grew out of the anti-Soviet "rock culture" of the 1980s, and closely align themselves with the fight for freedom. Their manifesto rejects all laws and speaks of the power of the Brotherhood. |
| So what kind of rebellious, devil-may-care, countercultural loner joins the Night Wolves? Vladimir Putin. | So what kind of rebellious, devil-may-care, countercultural loner joins the Night Wolves? Vladimir Putin. |
| If he thinks he's the countercultural type, he should re-read his Wikipedia entry. Putin, who has a history of macho posturing, frequently dons a leather jacket to ride with his friends, the Night Wolves. Last July, he kept the Ukrainian leader waiting while he met the Night Wolves' leader instead – a biker known as the Surgeon. | If he thinks he's the countercultural type, he should re-read his Wikipedia entry. Putin, who has a history of macho posturing, frequently dons a leather jacket to ride with his friends, the Night Wolves. Last July, he kept the Ukrainian leader waiting while he met the Night Wolves' leader instead – a biker known as the Surgeon. |
| I guess there's no harm in Putin playing at being a biker if it makes him feel taller. No. Except that it got him banned from Finland. | I guess there's no harm in Putin playing at being a biker if it makes him feel taller. No. Except that it got him banned from Finland. |
| How did that happen? His name turned up on a register of undesirables – allegedly because of his contact with the Night Wolves – that would have led to him being detained at the border. | How did that happen? His name turned up on a register of undesirables – allegedly because of his contact with the Night Wolves – that would have led to him being detained at the border. |
| They wouldn't let him cross the Finnish line? Well done with that one. | They wouldn't let him cross the Finnish line? Well done with that one. |
| What do the Finns say? They claim it's all a big mistake. "We have ordered it to be removed and are investigating the case very thoroughly," said a police board spokesman. "We don't know how it got there." | What do the Finns say? They claim it's all a big mistake. "We have ordered it to be removed and are investigating the case very thoroughly," said a police board spokesman. "We don't know how it got there." |
| Are the Night Wolves really so dangerous? One of them did get killed in a shootout with a rival gang in November, allegedly as part of a feud over the Wolves' establishment links. | Are the Night Wolves really so dangerous? One of them did get killed in a shootout with a rival gang in November, allegedly as part of a feud over the Wolves' establishment links. |
| So it's the Night Wolves who are tainted by their association with Putin. You could argue the relationship isn't working out for anyone. | So it's the Night Wolves who are tainted by their association with Putin. You could argue the relationship isn't working out for anyone. |
| Do say: "The bike is a symbol of our freedom." | Do say: "The bike is a symbol of our freedom." |
| Don't say: "Dear Vlad, please join us for a rumble with our bitter rivals, the Day Nurses." | Don't say: "Dear Vlad, please join us for a rumble with our bitter rivals, the Day Nurses." |
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