"We have no ban on the nontraditional forms of sexual intercourse among people," Putin said in remarks
carried by the Interfax news service.
"We have the ban on the propaganda of homosexuality and pedophilia. I want to stress this: propaganda among minors. These are two absolutely different things: a ban on certain relations or the propaganda of such relations."
His televised remarks came during a Q-and-A session to wish volunteers success at the Games, which begin Feb. 7.
Putin said there would be no discrimination against gay visitors at the Olympics.
"One can feel calm and at ease," he said. "Just leave kids alone, please."
The phrase, spoken in Russian, is also translated as "feel calm, at ease, but leave children in peace, please,"
Putin asserted that the question of legalizing pedophilia has been discussed in some countries.
"There is nothing secret about it, look it up on the Internet and you'll find it straightaway," he said. "Parties have raised the issue with certain parliaments. So what, are we supposed to shuffle behind them like puppies toward unknown consequences? We have our own traditions, our own culture, we treat all our partners with respect and ask for our traditions and our culture to be treated with respect as well."