By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Despite the frosty relationship between Moscow and Britain, Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin has become the first world leader to congratulate the newly inaugurated King of England, King Charles III.
Putin had once been compared by the new King with Adolf Hitler, even before the ongoing war launched by Russia in the Ukrainian soil since February 14, which has since attracted condemnation from Britain and West.
Putin sent his “sincere congratulations” from the Kremlin to King Charles. “I wish Your Majesty success, good health and all the best,” he said.
Russia has attracted enmity with Britain and EU member countries since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February, what Moscow calls “special military operations”.
Following the death of his predecessor and mother, Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday last week at the age of 96, the Accession Council, headed by Penny Mordaunt on Saturday met in St James’s Palace and formally approved Charles as King of England.
In 2014, on a trip to Nova Scotia in Canada as the Prince of Wales, the King was reported to have told a Jewish refugee that Putin was acting like Hitler after annexing Crimea from Ukraine and invading the eastern Donbas region. The comments set off a major diplomatic row.
Putin and King Charles have met a handful of times, including during the Russian leader’s state visit to Britain in 2003.
This year, the King also criticised Russia for its “brutal aggression” and said its invasion of Ukraine was an attack on democracy.
Putin is one of the world’s longest-serving leaders. He has been in power since 2000.
With Russian forces retreating along Ukraine’s northern front, Russian analysts who normally support Kremlin doctrine and strategy have started to question its tactics and competency.They also said that the Ukrainian forces that pushed Russian soldiers back have been trained in Britain.
However, Putin appeared unconcerned about recent battlefield defeats during a round of media events on Saturday to celebrate the day of the founding of Moscow city.
He voted, online, in municipal elections, and opened a new wrestling school and a new Ferris wheel called Sun of Moscow.
Sun of Moscow is now the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe, beating the London Eye by 5m.
