Vladimir Putin has ditched his £7,000 bespoke Italian suits for a military uniform in an attempt to present himself as a wartime leader and align with the success of Russian forces. The Russian president is seen more often in hand-stitched Brioni jackets – as seen during a talk in Moscow last year – rather than in combat gear.

The diplomatic effort coincided with a Russian claim that its troops have driven the Ukrainian army out of a key town in Russia's Kursk border region.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said that he had "serious questions" about Washington's plan for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine but Moscow was ready to discuss it with US