Vladimir Putin has been mocked over a photo with Mozambique's president Daniel Chapo, who towers over him, during a meeting in Moscow. The Kremlin did not release the image, but Mozambique's government did.
Height comparison sparks online ridicule
Putin, who stands 5 ft 7 in and is rumoured to wear platform shoes, appeared noticeably shorter than Chapo, believed to be at least 6 ft 5 in. Kremlin photographers were present but a decision was made not to release the image, which has been dubbed 'Lil Putin'. A different version, shot from a lower angle to make Putin look taller and cropping out both leaders' legs, was released instead.
Separate pictures and footage released by Mozambique show Chapo looming over Putin at a session. Chapo's social media was also teased with memes for inflating Putin's size in photos. One meme showed an even smaller Putin, asking: 'Why did you enlarge Putin in your photo? Here's the original.'
Parody images and public reaction
Multiple parody images emerged, including one depicting Chapo as Gandalf from Lord of the Rings and Putin as a barefoot hobbit. Comments on social media included: 'Putin must feel very insecure, looking up' and 'Shaking hand with mass murderer dwarf. Disgusting.'
Chapo said on his social media: 'We are in Moscow, at the invitation of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, to participate in the 3rd Russia–Africa Summit. This presence reflects the importance we attach to dialogue, cooperation, and strengthening relations between Mozambique, the Russian Federation, and African countries.'
