Images of Vladimir Putin meeting Mozambique’s president at the Kremlin have prompted online mockery over the striking difference in their height.
Daniel Chapo, who is believed to be 6ft 8in, towered over the Russian leader, whose height is given as 5ft 7in, during their meeting on Tuesday.
Mr Chapo shared a photograph showing the pair shaking hands, while Moscow initially withheld images of the encounter. Photographs later released by the Russian president’s official photographers were taken from a lower angle, making Mr Putin appear taller.
The images quickly became the subject of memes on social media, with users suggesting the pictures had been carefully arranged to disguise the difference between the two men.
One edited image portrayed Mr Chapo as Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings, with Mr Putin depicted as a barefoot hobbit. Another showed an even smaller version of the Russian president alongside the caption: “Why did you enlarge Putin on your photo? Here’s the original.”
Other memes showed Mr Putin using steps and binoculars to look up at his guest.
One social media user wrote: “Putin must feel very insecure, looking up,” while another commented: “How dare you make Putin appear as the little man.” A third asked: “Why he so tiny?”
Mr Putin has long been reported to be sensitive about his stature and is said to wear shoes with high platforms to increase his height.
He was pictured wearing high-heeled shoes among students in Moscow in 2023, in what was described as an effort to maintain his macho image.
A Kremlin insider was reported by the Express in 2015 to have claimed that nobody could be taller than the president in official photographs.
“That’s why his bodyguards are always shorter than he is, to give the impression Putin is a tall person,” the source was quoted as saying.
The issue of height has also been linked to perceptions of political authority. The Economist wrote in 2020 that “in politics, height matters”, citing research suggesting taller politicians outperformed rivals in elections on average.
The research was attributed to taller people having higher self-esteem on average and being viewed as healthier, more intelligent and more authoritative.
