Putin says spies expelled from US had 'tough lives' Russian PM Vladimir Putin during a visit to Ukraine. Photo: 24 July 2010 Mr Putin said that the spies "had a tough life" Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says he has met the Russian agents recently deported from the US - and claimed they were living "tough lives" and had been "betrayed". He told journalists that he had sung Soviet-era patriotic songs with the agents. However, Mr Putin did not say where the meeting took place. The 10 Russians admitted in a US court earlier this month to being agents for...