Putin’s Unusual Gifts Reveal Stories Behind Russia’s Global Ties
/ Go to the mediabankRussian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 11, 2026.
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On the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented Russian President Vladimir Putin with a Russian-language edition of the ancient Indian philosophical text Thirukkural. Over the years, Vladimir Putin has also received a range of unusual and symbolic gifts.Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Modi previously gifted Putin a Russian translation of the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu text considered a symbol of India’s philosophical heritage.
Putin received Labrador Connie from Sergei Shoigu in 2000, while in 2024, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un gifted the Russian president two rare Pungsan dogs, a traditional Korean hunting breed.
WorldPutin and Kim Jong Un Exchange Gifts14 September 2023, 13:05 GMTIn 2019, Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov presented Putin with an Orlov trotter horse and a Kyrgyz greyhound puppy named Sherkhan.
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel gifted Putin a cuckoo clock featuring Germany’s heraldic eagle, whereas Argentine President Cristina Kirchner presented the Russian leader with a bandoneon, a traditional tango instrument.
Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa gifted Putin a Victory Sword made of Damascus steel in 2016, with its handle and scabbard crafted from precious metals.
MultimediaSurprise for Mr. President: Tigers, Horses and Dogs Presented to Putin30 March 2019, 13:51 GMTIn 2025, Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov presented Putin with a painting by local artist Anastasia Lisich, created on a fragment of an S-400 air defense missile cover. The artwork depicted a girl with a dog against a damaged building and carried the message “Belgorod will not surrender.”The gifts serve as personal gestures and carry cultural symbolism, historical references, and political messages that shape international relations.
