(CNN) -- Vladimir Putin's nearly 30-year marriage has ended in divorce, the Russian president and his ex-wife told state-run television in a joint interview.
"This was our joint decision. Our marriage is over," Putin told Russia 24, standing next to Lyudmila Putin, in an interview shown Thursday. "We almost don't see each other. We have different lives."
Lyudmila Putin said the two shared a love for their two adult children, but hinted life in the public eye took a toll.
"I don't like to be in public, and it's hard to take (airplane) flights," she said. "We love our children a lot, we are proud of them and see them all the time."
She said that she was grateful for her ex-husband's support and said the divorce was civilized.
The announcement comes after longtime speculation about their relationship, state-run news agency RIA Novosti reported.
Putin married Lyudmila Shkrebneva in July 1983. Their children, Maria and Yekaterina, were born in 1985 and 1986, respectively.