Moscow, October 7, 2026 – The Europe Today: Russian President Vladimir Putin is celebrating his 74th birthday on Wednesday, combining family time with his official duties, including international telephone conversations and preparations for an upcoming Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) summit in Turkmenistan.
Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said that congratulations from the president’s family are particularly important to him. Putin also has a number of public engagements scheduled for the day, although the Kremlin has not disclosed details of the events.
The Russian president traditionally celebrates his birthday in Russia. He has marked the occasion abroad only twice — in Chisinau in 2002 and in Bali in 2013.
Over the years, foreign leaders have presented Putin with a variety of symbolic gifts on his birthday. In 2008, he received an Amur tiger cub, while former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi presented him with an embroidered duvet cover in 2017.
In 2022, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko presented Putin with a certificate for a tractor, while Tajik President Emomali Rahmon gifted him watermelons, which were subsequently donated to children’s homes.
Putin’s birthday this year comes as the Kremlin continues preparations for the upcoming CIS summit in Turkmenistan, alongside the Russian president’s ongoing diplomatic engagements.
