Vladimir Putin perfume goes on sale in Moscow

Fans of Russia's strongman President Vladimir Putin in search of last-minute Christmas gift inspiration should look no further.

A scent, which an inscription on the bottle proclaims was "inspired by Vladimir Putin", and bears a profile portrait of the Russian leader, was unveiled in Moscow on December 24, Sputnik reported.

Created by Belorussian parfumier Vladislav Rikunova, only 1,000 bottles of the limited edition scent are being produced, costing 6,000 rubles, (£57) for a bottle.

Rikunova is keeping the ingredients of the fragrance a mystery, and announced that the scent will be sold until October 20 2016, with a portion of the proceeds donated to Christmas presents for orphans, LifeNews reported.

Its creator described the perfume as having a "soft yet firm" fragrance.

A cult of personality has sprung up around Putin, who enjoys high approval ratings. T-shirts, mugs and other merchandise bearing the likeness of the Russian leader are widely available in Russia.