Vladimir Putin has ditched his £7,000 bespoke Italian suits for a military uniform in an attempt to present himself as a wartime leader and align with the success of Russian forces. The Russian president is seen more often in hand-stitched Brioni jackets – as seen during a talk in Moscow last year – rather than in combat gear.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was pictured in military fatigues for the first time since the invasion began after he visited the Kursk region of western Russia, where Ukrainian forces had seized te

President Vladimir Putin has visited the western Russian region of Kursk for the first time since Ukrainian forces seized some territory in the region, Russian news agencies reported on Wednesday.

President Vladimir Putin donned military fatigues for a surprise visit to troops in Russia's western Kursk region on Wednesday where he ordered them to press their lightning advance and swiftly retake the rest of the area from Ukrainian forces.

Putin's visit comes amid ongoing talks in Saudi Arabia between delegations from the U.S. and Ukraine to present a 30-day ceasefire deal to the Russian leader

The Russian president appears to suggest during his visit to Kursk that captured Ukrainian soldiers should be executed. During an unannounced visit to Kursk, the Russian president Vladimir Putin has instructed his troops to expel the remaining Ukrainian units from the region.