Vladimir Putin's milestone 60th birthday has been greeted with a mixture of derision and adulation by citizens across Russia.
Some repeated their call for the President to resign while others lavished the lionised leader with unbridled praise by climbing mountains and unfurling flattering portraits.
In the North Ossetia region, climbers scaled a 4,150m mountain and put a large picture of the country's powerful leader at the top – the start of their quest to have it officially renamed 'Peak Putin'.
The Young Guard, the youth wing of the ruling United Russia party, published a fawning video in which attractive young women were seen emulating typical Putin pursuits, like horse riding and diving.
A recent Levada centre poll found that 20% of Russian women would marry him.
The town of Vladimir changed its name to reflect Mr Putin's patronymic, becoming Vladimir Vladimirovich, which now adorns all of its street signs.
But not everyone was in the mood to celebrate. Protesters were keener to highlight his age, which now entitles him to collect a pension.
One gathering, called 'Lead Grandad to Retirement', involved 150 people angry at his continued rule, brandishing pipes and slippers.
Events to idolise the action man President were not officially sponsored by the state which has recently tried to downplay his personality cult. The Kremlin says he celebrated privately with friends and family.
State-run channel NTV chose Mr Putin's big day to broadcast a flattering documentary in which he said punk feminists Pussy Riot deserved to be sent to jail.
"It was right to arrest them, and it was right that the court took the decision that it did.
"My first reaction was to ask believers to forgive them, I thought it would end at that," the president said, before adding: "The trial slapped a little two years on them."
Pussy Riot gave a sarcastic reaction to his comments on Twitter saying: "It's important to say tender words on a person's birthday. Putin told our members about the 'little two years'."
