"How's this for a new couple alert?" the magazine said. "The rumour circulating around the corridors of power — from Washington, D.C., to Europe and Asia — is that Vladimir Putin and Wendi Deng, Rupert Murdoch's ex-wife, are dating. "Reports of the pair have been floating around for years, ever since their respective divorces in 2014 and 2013. One insider close to the powerful leader tells Us Weekly the relationship is 'serious.'" Commenters on the social media site were quick to recall rumours – denied by Ms Murdoch – that she is dating Mr Putin. And the photo has been reported by Ukrainian and anti-Putin bloggers, including the Euromaidan Twitter account, which retweeted it, describing Ms Murdoch as Mr Putin's "girlfriend".

The couple has never been seen together, and the only 'evidence' the magazine cited was the fact Ms Murdoch had recently boarded the yacht of mutual friend Roman Abramovich in St Barts in the West Indies. In an interview with Vogue, published in July, Ms Murdoch said, "I've never met Putin. But wow, so much press about it. Why did they choose me?" Vogue also reported that Ms Murdoch had introduced Ivanka Trump to her now-husband, businessman Jared Kushner. Ms Trump raved about her friend, saying "Everything she has is available to her friends, which, believe me, is not common… It's really a whirlwind with Wendi. I can't recall the last time I had a conversation with her that didn't conclude with her connecting me to four people who might become great friends or great business opportunities." People magazine reported that Ms Trump is taking a break from the campaign trail to holiday with friends and Mr Kushner.

She introduced her father at the Republican National Convention last month, after which he suggested he would choose her as first female pick for his cabinet if he won office. The Instagram photo was posted the same day the New York Times published a story on millions of dollars in undisclosed cash payments from 2007 to 2012, from the former pro-Russian regime in Ukraine and designated to Paul Manafort, then a consultant in Ukraine but now Mr Trump's campaign chairman. The payments came to light during a government investigation of a corrupt network that was used to loot Ukrainian assets and influence elections during the administration of former president Viktor Yanukovych, the Times reported. Loading Mr Manafort's lawyer denied to the Times that his client had received any such cash payments, and disputed the suggestion that his client might have countenanced or been involved in corruption.