<<Print>>

When a pretty, young, scantily-clad beauty queen sent Vladimir Putin a small kitten for his birthday, many rolled their eyes.

After all, her gift would no doubt be lost among the pile of presents the Russian leader was inundated with that day.

But, three years on, that picture may have just proved to be the most astute move this former journalism student and Miss Russia finalist Alisa Kharcheva has ever made.