Vladimir Putin greeted crowds of people in a rare public walkabout where he was seen kissing kids and taking selfies with so-called fans.
The Russian President flew to the city of Derbent, on the Caspian Sea, 2,000km from Moscow, to mark the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha and visit an ancient citadel and historic mosque.
"The Quran is sacred for Muslims and should be sacred for others," Putin remarked as he was gifted a copy of the Quran.
