Vladimir Putin has furthered his quest for living decades longer by bizarrely visiting a laboratory with “youth-extending fruit”. The Russian dictator, 72, was filmed visiting Sirius science park in Black Sea resort Sochi, which is funded under a special cash stream by the Kremlin and under Putin’s direct control.
During his closely guarded laboratory visit, Putin was shown genetically-altered strawberries by Dr Roman Ivanov, Chairman of the Academic Council of Sirius University. This fruit has a dozen times the normal level of quercetin – a polyphenolic antioxidant seen as having anti-ageing and health-promoting properties.
Dr Ivanov said: “These are edited strawberries, which contain 12 times more quercetin.
The molecular-immunologist added: “This is a beneficial substance, a flavonoid with antioxidant properties. That is to say, we ended up with youth-giving strawberries.”
Putin looked on approvingly and questioned: “No need to try them?”
To which the Dr replied: “Yes they don’t need to be treated with chemicals.”
Putin also examined biologically-tinkered Merlot grapes resistant to fungal infections.This was the first time in the world this grape had been altered in this way.
Dr Ivanov was heard telling Putin: “For the first time in the world, we are able to edit the grape genome and obtain grapes that are resistant to fungal infections.”
Putin’s visit comes days after he and Chinese dictator Xi Jinping, also 72, enthusiastically discussed biological innovations which might allow them to live to 150.
Unaware he could be heard on a microphone, Xi told Putin via a translator: “Earlier, people rarely lived to 70, but these days at 70 you are still a child.”
The Russian president responded: “With the development of biotechnology, human organs can be continuously transplanted and people can live younger and younger, and even achieve immortality.” Xi replied: “Predictions are, this century, there is also a chance of living to 150.”
The Kremlin is known to have fast-tracked anti-ageing research on cellular degeneration, cognitive decline and the immune system.