Vladimir Putin turns 70 as Ukrainian troops take back territory

President Putin has been given a tractor for his 70th birthday.

The present came from fellow despot Alexander Lukashenko – leader of neighbouring Belarus.

But while the gift was suitably Stalinist, President Putin’s effort to restore Russia to what he sees as Soviet-era glory is going badly.

Ukrainian troops continued to seize back territory overnight while European leaders met in Prague in a show of unity – albeit with tensions over energy prices behind the scenes.