Two pranksters take credit for fooling Elton John into believing he got a phone call from Vladimir Putin

Two Russian pranksters have taken credit for fooling British musician Elton John into believing he received a phone call from Vladimir Putin earlier this week. Alexey Stolyarov ("Lexus") and Vladimir Krasnov ("Vovan") announced today to Russian News Service that they are the ones who telephoned Elton John, pretending to be Putin.

Lexus says he claimed to be Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, and Vovan pretended to be the Russian President.

Earlier this month, Elton John visited Kiev and met with President Petro Poroshenko, telling Ukrainian leaders and lawmakers to be more tolerant of LGBT citizens. Soon after his Ukraine visit, Elton John told the BBC that he wished to discuss Russia’s stance on gay rights with the Russian President. The singer characterized Putin’s attitude towards LGBT citizens as “isolating and prejudiced.” He told the BBC that Putin “may laugh behind my back when he shuts the door, and call me an absolute idiot, but at least I can think I have the conscience to say I tried."

Hours after Elton John thanked Putin on Instagram for the phone call, the real Dmitry Peskov denied that Putin ever spoke to the musician. Peskov also told reporters that Putin is always ready "to explain the reality of the situation" regarding gay rights in Russia, should Elton John still wish to speak to Putin.