Modi greets Putin on his birthday

Officials, celebrities and media outlets around the country jumped to congratulate the president on his birthday. The match was broadcast on Russian television, and Russian media reported that Putin scored seven goals. In addition to scenes of Russian youth on skateboards and BMX’s wearing masks of the president’s face and Timati racing down the Moskva River on a jet ski, the incredibly catchy song features the chorus “My best friend is President Putin”.

The theme of Putin as a superhero was also promoted at a small art gallery in Moscow’s Arbat district, hosting an exhibition called “Putin’s Universe”. Russian artists depicted Putin as different historical figures, including Ernesto Che Guevara, Salvador Dali, and Alexander the Great.

Putin chose to spend his 2008 birthday launching his instructional judo film, titled “Learning Judo with Vladimir Putin”, at the royal palace in St Petersburg, where he was also given a Siberian tiger as a present, although Putin did not reveal who had given him the animal, according to the BBC. The smaller version will set you back 199,000 rubles (roughly $3,200), while the larger version costs 209,000 rubles, or $3,341. A few of the officials present have been subjected to sanctions over Russia’s role in the annexation of Crimea in March 2014 and its backing of separatists in eastern Ukraine.

However, the attacks are not without controversy, as the West has accused Russian Federation of attacking Western-backed rebels opposed to Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, a staunch ally of Moscow.

Earlier in the afternoon Putin was briefed by Mr Shoigu in televised remarks that four Russian warships – based 900 miles away in the Caspian Sea – had launched 26 strikes on 11 ISIS targets. His popularity rating reached 89% in June. A happy birthday, indeed.