VLADIMIR Putin has descended from a macho strongman to a bloated butcher who struggles to walk in the space of just three years, pictures reveal.
Since first becoming Russia‘s president in 2000, Vlad has prided himself on his strongman image, having himself photographed riding horses shirtless, taking part in judo demonstrations, tracking tigers, and working out.
But in the past three years, he has become unrecognisable, with his previously gaunt face turning bloated, and his swagger giving way to a feeble, slumped-over stance.
Many pictures have been taken over the years for propaganda purposes, including a 2008 photo of him checking a satellite tracker on a Siberian tiger.
One of the most enduring images demonstrating Putin’s desperation to be seen as a tough guy is a 2009 series of photos showing him topless on a horse while on a fishing expedition.
He has also been careful to surround himself with other “hard men” for photo ops, such as in 2011 when he went for a ride with Russia’s notorious ‘Night Wolves’ motorbike gang.
