President Putin has become the subject of jibes on social media after he was pictured apparently wearing a pair of heels to increase his height.
Putin, who is thought to be about 5ft 7in, posed for photographs with students of Lomonosov Moscow State University.
In the images, which show Putin among mostly taller young people, his shoes appear to have extra-thick heels.
Putin and his predecessor for one term, Dmitry Medvedev, have long been the subject of reports about attempts to conceal their stature.
When Medvedev was being groomed for the presidency in 2008, a journalist in Yekaterinburg said that officials granting accreditation for a visit had urged press photographers to shoot the politician from a low angle. Spin doctors also advised Medvedev to take
