Amid Ukraine war, Putin gets tractor as birthday gift

As Russian President Vladimir Putin turns 70 amid the chaos of his invasion of Ukraine, he received an odd gift: a tractor.

Putin's Belarusian ally, Alexander Lukashenko gifted him the vehicle. Lukashenko confirmed the news himself after visiting his friend who has been leading Russia for two decades, one way or another.

Putin hosted a meeting with leaders of ex-Soviet states to discuss the situation in the regions he annexed but was presented with gifts and praises for protecting Russia's national interests, reported the BBC.

Lukashenko has been in power for longer than Putin despite his administration being under Western sanctions too. 

The big-wheeled present was not the only odd gift Putin received. The president of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon honoured the notorious leader with mountains of melons and watermelons.

"I'll be honest, if someone gave me a tractor and 2 pyramids of melons for my birthday I'd be chuffed to bits," a Twitter user with the handle "gladamir" commented.

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill applauded Putin for "strengthening Russia's sovereignty". Chechnya's leader called the man "the number one patriot in the world".

On the other hand, Putin received the title of being a war criminal yet again by his enemies.