Oh that Vladimir Putin!  What a softie!  Don’t let the black belt in judo fool you.

When the all-girl Russkie band Pussy Riot were arrested on charges of “hooliganism” last month after playing a song in Russia’s official cathedral begging the Virgin Mary (she of the much less riotous pussy) to rid the country of Putin, he was merciful, telling the judges during the trial that the women should not be judged “too harshly.”

Mind you, Putin isn’t even the Prime Minister anymore.  Dmitry Medvedev currently holds that job.  But it’s no secret that Putin is the puppet master behind the scenes, a frightening admixture of Karl Rove and Dick Cheney, but with a black belt.

Poor Medvedev.  He has officially called for Pussy Riot – Maria Alyokhina, Yekaterina Samutsevich, and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova – I call them “Marinova” for short – to be released.  He admits he was “sickened by what they did, by their looks,”  and “by the hysteria that followed what had happened.”

The three women were sentenced to two years in prison, and there they sit today.

But Medvedev has publicly stated he believes the women should be freed early.  “The prolongation of their incarceration in the conditions of jail seems to me to be unproductive.”

Unproductive!  Whoa, Dmitry!  Cool it with the language!  Damn, comrade, when you go for the jugular, you go for it!  Can you not feel the passion burning in this man’s heart!

Sadly, though, Medvedev is basically Putin’s lap dog, and a neutered one at that.

Pussy Riot’s lawyer Nikolai Polozov – or as I like to call him, P-Dawg – said, “Medvedev has already spoken about several criminal cases and we know what the results have been.”

Basically, no one listens to the dude.

So how did the girls get the “light” sentence of two years versus the maximum seven they could’ve received?  It was Papa Putin, saving the day with his “should not be judged too harshly” comment.

Oh black belted one, how we thank thee in thy infinite mercy and wisdom!

Both Putin and Medvedev have said they have no intention of interfering in Russia’s court system (until, presumably, Putin wakes up from his afternoon nap, taps the judges on the shoulder, and tells them what to do).

Meantime, let’s all pray for some free pussy.