Putin: Strauss-Kahn may have been set up

Philandering frog Dominique Strauss-Kahn now has the Russian bear in his corner.

Vladimir Putin has jumped to the defense of the accused maid molester -- declaring the sex-assault charges against Strauss-Kahn are likely bogus and hinting that they may be part of a conspiracy to bring the ex-IMF chief down.

"It is hard for me to evaluate the hidden political motives," the Russian prime minister said in comments posted on the official Kremlin Web site. "But I cannot believe that it looks the way it was initially introduced. It doesn't sit right in my head."

Since Strauss-Kahn was busted on May 14 for allegedly sexually assaulting a maid in a Midtown hotel, some of the disgraced money man's defenders have blamed an international scheme to destroy the IMF head and his hopes of the French presidency.

Putin is the first world leader to push the conspiracy claim.

Ironically, Strauss-Khan, in the days before his arrest, had reportedly told pals he believed Putin was plotting to undermine his position as head of the International Monetary Fund.

"He said the Russians, notably Putin, allied themselves with France to try to have him fired from the IMF, to stop him running for president," French pol Claude Bartolone said, according to the EU Times.

Meanwhile, the Parisian pariah remained hunkered down yesterday in his posh townhouse on Franklin Street in TriBeCa.

Sources said that while a horde of media -- and occasional tour buses -- keep an eye on the townhouse, the real scrutiny is going on inside, where numerous video cameras have been set up.

Two guards are on duty at all times watching numerous video cameras mounted in the home.

Strauss-Kahn isn't the only famous figure on Franklin Street. Actress Kirstie Alley said yesterday she's staying in a home next door.

The "Dancing with the Stars" runner-up said she won't be stopping by to introduce herself with a welcome-to-the-neighborhood fruitbasket, but she also won't be rushing to judgment.

"Our system says it's innocent until proven guilty," Alley said of her new neighbor.