Maria Kozhevnikova, 27, posed nude for the Russian edition of the magazine two years ago. Photo credit: whatsonxiamen

Russia's strongman Vladimir Putin has chosen a Playboy playmate to stand for his party in Duma, the Russian Parliament. Maria Kozhevnikova, 27, posed nude for the Russian edition of the magazine two years ago.

Putin has mimicked his disgraced friend Silvio Berlusconi, the former Italian Prime Minister, who became notorious for giving showgirls and starlets government jobs.

Kozhevnikova is the daughter of a Soviet ice hockey player and was the lead singer in Russian group called Love Stories, before taking on film roles.

She is a member of the Young Guard of United Russia, Putin's political party who won a small majority in this year's parliamentary election, sparking fury over allegations of vote-rigging.

"I'm just an ordinary citizen of the Russian Federation," she told the Daily Mail. "With the problems I face every day, now I'll be provided a platform where I can speak up the difficulties and offer solutions."

"I think now the time has come when the young people's voice is listened to. The future of our country belongs to young people, and we must also be involved."

Just like her "strongman", she criticised "professional provocateurs" paid by the international community to ignite the people to protest against Putin.

She warned of 'professional provocateurs' whose mission was to 'ignite' the people.

Russia