(CNN) Russian President Vladimir Putin fired the latest round Satuday in a tiff with Elton John over gay rights.

"Somebody came up with this idea of five or six genders," Putin said at a G20 news conference in Japan. "I don't even understand what they mean."

The war of words started with a Putin interview in the Financial Times . The paper said Putin accused liberal governments of pursuing a mindless multiculturalism and embracing sexual diversity, among others things.

"I am not trying to insult anyone because we have been condemned for our alleged homophobia," Putin said in the interview published Thursday. "But we have no problem with LGBT persons. God forbid, let them live as they wish. But some things do appear excessive to us. They claim now that children can play five or six gender roles."

"Let everyone be happy, we have no problem with what," Putin told the outlet . "But this must not be allowed to overshadow the culture, traditions and traditional family values of millions of people making up the core population."

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