Putin turns 60, Russia goes crazy (top 10 gifts)
A girl with a dog stands in front of the paintings by artist Alexei Sergiyenko at his exhibition ‘President. The kindest person’ marking the 60th birthday of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin at the Flacon design workshop in Moscow, on October 7, 2012. Putin turned 60 today.
President Vladimir Putin was feted by his homeland for his 60th birthday today, according to the Associated Press. Putin enthusiasts, with a little help from the Kremlin, went all out.
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Best birthday presents? Here's a rundown of the top 10, including one prank gift, most of them courtesy of the Associated Press:
1) Gigantic Putin mountain peak portrait (complete with a request to officially name it Peak Putin)
2) Moscow sports contest held in Russian president's honor called "Do Your Best for Putin"
3) Video of ladies adoring the birthday boy made by pro-Putin youth party
4) Huge inflatable floating birthday cake
5) Laudatory TV bio-pic
6) "Putin: The Most Kind-Hearted Man in the World" art exhibition (see accompanying photo)
7) Special message from Russia's Orthodox Church (Putin's a "real patriot")
8) Book on Tsarskoye Selo, the former residence of the imperial family (that from Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev)
9) A statement of adulation from Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin crediting Putin with all "positive changes" in the country
10) Joke present from the the opposition: anti-Putin demonstrators shout "Let's Send Grandpa to Retirement!" (60 is the official retirement age in Russia). Riot police quickly dispersed the Moscow rally, said AP.