Vladimir Putin in one of his more professional poses.

Being the head of an international superpower has to be a stressful job, but at least you get to surround yourself with pretty faces if you want. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is being forced to explain why he’s hired a former lingerie model to be his personal photographer.

25 year-old Yana Lapikova, a contestant in the 2008 Miss Moscow pageant, was named Putin’s personal photographer after reportedly working as an intern in the PM’s cabinet. An anonymous blogger posted pictures of Lapikova’s racy past, including shots of her posing in underwear in fashion magazines.

Lapikova’s professional photography experience is largely in question, and her portfolio seems fairly slim. A set of photographs in her name was reportedly posted online following the announcement, and included mostly shots of cats. Still, Putin’s team says her appointment has nothing to do with her looks.

“We don’t select photographers based on gender. She’s a really good photographer, her modeling past doesn’t concern us at all, it’s not a crime,” said Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s press secretary. “It’s the professionalism that matters.”

Vladimir Putin’s public image over the past dozen years has been largely crafted to make him look rugged and outdoorsy. That means he’s constantly being photographed with his shirt off, looking like a Russian bear while fly-fishing, riding his horse along the river or with endangered tigers. In other words, Lapikova has her work cut out for her.