ABBA tribute band Bjorn Again played a secret concert for the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin last month, their founder has claimed.

Rod Stephen said the group were paid £20,000 to perform at a theatre on the shores of Lake Valdai, which is 200 miles north of Moscow.

Stephen claimed the Russian Prime Minister could be heard shouting “bravo, bravo” during the 12 song set, which included such hits as ‘Dancing Queen’ and ‘Waterloo’.

Putin, who was apparently accompanied by unidentified women and six men in tuxedos, was particularly fond of ‘Mamma Mia’, Stephen said.

However, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Associated Press news agency that the Prime Minister never attended any such event.

(by Jason Gregory)