Over the course of Putin's two decades in power, remarkably little has emerged about his health, beyond the famous images provided by the Kremlin showing him bare-chested in a bid to project an image of macho strength.
There are allegartions that one of the methods used by Putin to ensure longevity were baths in blood extracted from deer antlers in Siberia, a method recommended by his friend Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, who is from Siberia.(AP)
The websites for BBC Russia, Voice of America, Deutsche Welle and Radio Free Europe were widely inaccessible to Russian users, according to multiple reports and network tracking services.
Putin granted the 32-year-old a medal of the order "For Merit to the Fatherland", a distinction awarded to Russians who have made outstanding achievements in their fields.
Sergey Karjakin of Russia looks at a board during a game(REUTERS)