In a repeat of last year, leaders of the BRICS nations did not extend birthday wishes to Vladimir Putin. Notably this year, amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Russian president received the fewest birthday greetings from foreign heads of state. Among world leaders, only Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a phone call to Putin, while others opted for sending telegrams, reported on Monday, October 7th, by the news outlet Agentstvo, which scrutinized the official press releases from the Kremlin.

Ultimately, eight foreign leaders congratulated Putin on his 72nd birthday: Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega, Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdimuhamedow, Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey, CAR’s President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. This marks a decrease from last year when ten state leaders, including from nations like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan, extended their greetings. In 2022, all while marking his 70th birthday, Putin received messages from 14 global leaders, featured prominently among them Xi Jinping of China, Kim Jong Un of North Korea, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Back in 2021, prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, leaders from nations like Israel, Japan, Turkey, and several Central Asian countries personally called to congratulate him, while Chinese and Serbian leadership offered telegrams.

Among those offering their well wishes were Belarusian politician Alexander Lukashenko and Chechnya's leader, Ramzan Kadyrov. Lukashenko praised Putin, stating, "Your deep understanding of Russia's historical mission, your personal responsibility for the fate of the people and the Fatherland, has been a reliable guarantee of strengthening its statehood and sovereignty."

Kadyrov echoed this sentiment: "Today, friends, is the birthday of our national leader, Supreme Commander, President of Russia Vladimir Putin! It is undoubtedly a significant day for our entire Fatherland."

Additionally, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan extended his greetings to Putin, emphasizing the "necessity of consistent actions aimed at strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation between the Republic of Armenia and the Russian Federation in all areas of mutual interest."

However, noticeably absent from the list of well-wishers were other so-called "friends" of Putin, including North Korea's Kim Jong Un, China's Xi Jinping, and Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei.

Amid decreasing numbers of international greetings for Putin, Russian regional authorities organized public events to mark his birthday in 2024. In places such as Chuvashia, citizens gathered to spell out the name of the nation’s leader at cultural centers. A similar scene was orchestrated in Artem, Primorsky Krai, by activists from "Young Guard of United Russia" alongside local administration and student groups. Samara saw over 100 individuals, including students, forming Putin’s name while holding the Russian flag.

Participating in such initiatives, teenagers in Taldom, Moscow Oblast, arranged themselves to read "Putin." In the Rostov region, elementary students were enlisted for a similar showcase, while Moscow's VDNH saw 5,000 participants crafting a "Happy Birthday, President" sign. In St. Petersburg, about 2,000 residents gathered in Palace Square to form an analogous message. A comparative gesture took place in the occupied part of Kherson region, where residents of Novoalekseevka organized into a heart shape featuring the Russian president's surname.

  Putin, Lukashenko, Kadyrov

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