Nearly twenty months after Vladimir Putin announced a military offensive against Ukraine by describing them as ‘special military operations’, the Russian president landed in the United Arab Emirates in a rare visit outside the countries of former Soviet Union as well as China.
Putin was welcomed in the UAE with a 21-gun salute and a stunning flypast by Al Fursan, the UAE Air Force aerobatics team, showcasing Russian flag colours in smoke.
Putin’s West Asia itinerary includes a visit to Saudi Arabia next.