Russian President Vladimir Putin is a master of the grand media gesture.
Whether it's amassing a crowd of supporters or flying in a glider to safely guide an endangered species of crane, Putin knows the value of a good p.r. stunt.
And so comes news that Putin has granted citizenship to Gerard Depardieu, the oversize French thespian who is fleeing France because of its high taxes. Reports say that Depardieu has applied for citizenship after Putin announced publicly last month that the French actor was welcome in Russia.
