Vladimir Putin pretends to be asleep during Ukraine’s opening ceremony welcome

Putin closed his eyes and sat back in his chair

Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared to pretend to be asleep as the Ukrainian Winter Olympic team were welcomed to the opening ceremony of the games in Beijing.

Putin closed his eyes and sat back in his chair with his arms folded as Ukraine's athletes entered the Bird’s Nest Stadium. The 69-year-old - who currently possess a large military force gathered on the border with Ukraine - was seen not wearing a face covering, despite everyone else in the VIP area covering their face with a mask. Despite the decision to host the games in China being heavily scrutinised, considering the criticism faced from human rights group and from countries competing in the games, Chinese President Xi Jinping received a standing ovation as he entered the stadium prior to the start of the ceremony. Xi previously signed a document that condemned America for its perceived influence in Europe, the expansion of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) and the US government's 'negative impact on peace and stability' in the Asia-Pacific region. https://twitter.com/terror_alarm/status/1489598591748485125 Putin was amongst a small group of foreign dignitaries and world leaders that attended the opening ceremony, with most - including those from Great Britain - not present due to concerns over China’s record on human rights and the country's persecution of Uyghur Muslims in the eastern province of Xinjiang.