1/ Well worth watching Putin's comments about Hunter Biden on Russian TV last night. They're very troubling. Contrary to what's been reported, Putin is very much trying to keep the story alive. russian.rt.com/russia/article… 
2/ First question: what do you know about Trump's claim at the most recent debate that Hunter Biden had a business relationship with the widow of former Moscow mayor Yuriy Luzhkov? (Baturina is not a nobody: she was long Russia's richest woman.)
3/ Putin theatrically claims he knows nothing (so uninformed, really?). He goes on to imply a relationship is plausible b/c Baturina had all sorts of foreign business partners. Putin could have simply said this story has zero basis (eg buzzfeednews.com/article/christ… @ChristopherJM)
4/ The reporter then drags things out, asks about Hunter Biden’s activities in Ukraine. Putin livens up, claims (again theatrically) "This is none of our business. It concerns only the Americans and the Ukrainians” while praising how successful Hunter was in Ukraine.
5/ Putin: "He [Hunter] definitely was in Ukraine. Maybe he's still active there." Putin pivots to talking about Burisma without naming it. He (falsely) claims Hunter was in charge of Burisma. "Judging by everything, he made a pile of dough. Didn't do too badly."
6/ Putin on Hunter/Burisma: “I don’t see anything criminal about that.” This is classic Kremlin double-speak. Translation: “You should look into this.”
7/ Coup de grace comes at very end of interview: Reporter: “Trump also said [at the debate], ‘Russia is still paying Biden money even today.’…Question provokes a smirk and suppressed chuckle from Putin: “No comment!” (translation: “Y'know that sounds really interesting!”) END
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