
Vladimir Putin has publicly appeared at the funeral of ultra-nationalist Russian politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky.
Footage from a memorial service in Moscow shows Putin placing a bunch of flowers near Zhirinovsky's coffin before making the sign of the cross and bowing down in honor of him.
Zhirinovsky died Wednesday at the age of 75, reported to have been complications by Covid.
He was seemingly a political opponent of Putin, but in fact was part of a managed opposity that enables the Kremlin to maintain a view of democracy in Russia.
The Russian president has made only random public appearances in recent months. A major pro-war rally held at a stadium in Moscow on 18 March was his first public appearance since the start of the invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.