Russian President Demitri Medvedev has announced that Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will run for president next year. There’s much speculation about what this means for Russia, and whether it means current president Medvedev was just a proxy for Putin all along.
The important takeaway from this job-swap announcement has been lost within all of this analytical hoopla. Those of us who appreciate Internet memes know that it’s time to get excited: We’re about to get a whole lot more badass Putin photos!
Putin has been able to orchestrate photo ops better than any other head of state. He always manages to highlight either his unparalleled masculinity or his lovable, fluffy side. Whether you like him or not, the man rolls with some major swag (at least when the photogs are around).
Here are some of the best of Putin:
