Vladimir Putin scores seven goals in birthday hockey game

The Russian president’s celebration was straight out of a child’s fantasy this year.

Vladimir Putin marked his 63rd birthday Wednesday with a focus on Syria, as supporters sang his praises – comparing him to a range of heroic figures from Buddha to Batman.

Clad in an ice hockey uniform in the colours of the Russian flag, state TV showed Putin addressing spectators and his fellow players in the arena.

“Putin is a recognized world leader, an global symbol of victory and success”, said Kozic.

His party choice this year is much improved from his previous one, as Putin reportedly spent his 62nd birthday in the Siberian wilderness.

Passed the puck by the National Hockey League greats over and over again, Putin scored seven goals to lead his team to a 15-10 victory.

Russian President Vladimir Putin takes a call during a luncheon hosted by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the 70th annual UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters September 28, 2015 in New York City.

Both of those men were sanctioned by the West after Mr Putin annexed Crimea in 2013. At the end of the match, the crowd started chanting “Happy Birthday” to Putin. While most people are unlikely to be taken in by the macho stunts, they still represent another source of power: the Kremlin’s ability to disregard the truth if it so chooses, which has become one of Putin’s main tools of statecraft, says the newspaper.

Before hitting the ice, Putin received a briefing from Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu about Russia’s current military operations in Syria.

He shoots, he scores… seven times.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s public appearances are a good source of possible clues about the future direction of Russian foreign policy.

Officials organized a soccer game in Grozny that featured Italian veterans as a way to celebrate Putin’s birthday.

Filmed partly on Red Square, the sleek and well-produced video even features dancers wearing Putin masks, with Timati and another rapper performing in front of a giant Putin mural.