Russian president Vladimir Putin could become involved in Diageo's

row over who has the rights to its famous Smirnoff vodka name. Former KGB agent Boris Smirnov, great grandson of Piotr Smirnov who purveyed vodka to the Imperial Tsarist Court, has now launched an "original" version in Moscow.

The Mail on Sunday 25/02/01

page 6 (Financial Mail)