Putin’s photo album becomes bestseller

Vladimir Putin may no longer be President, but for Russians he's as popular as ever. A new book of pictures showing him in his time as the country's leader is flying off the shelves at shops across the country.

Demand has been high in Putin’s native city of St. Petersburg where the book quickly sold out. In Voronezh there is even a waiting list. And it was a similar story in Rostov on Don.
 
The frenzy has also expanded to the internet, where websites are struggling to cope with the number of orders placed from Russia and abroad. Online blogs are swelling with people sharing their opinions on Putin’s life in pictures.

On every page of the album there are just one or two phrases of explanation. It is the photos themselves that give a rare insight into Putin’s life.
 
The release comes less than a month after an exhibition of similar pictures just metres away from the Kremlin. It seems Russians are keen to enjoy the highlights of Putin’s Presidency, which many people believe has made Russia strong again.