Turning 70 might have once been cause for celebration for Vladimir Putin. The Russian dictator might have visited one of his many luxurious palaces by limousine or helicopter; started the day with some gentle (or not-so gentle) martial arts; or taken it as an opportunity to go on a hunting and fishing trip with his trusty defence minister, Sergei Shoigu. Perhaps there he’d have even posed for another topless photo, to prove his continued macho status in old age.
But most of those are unlikely now. The Russian dictator marks his milestone birthday today, but he probably won’t be celebrating as his army collapses in Ukraine. According to reports, Russia’s troops are currently suffering heavy losses and trying to evacuate their wounded amid a ferocious advance by Ukraine’s military.
