Russian president Vladimir Putin chose to stay away from an outpouring of public adoration and celebration by spending his 62nd birthday in the remote Siberian wilderness. For a man who has hugged a polar bear, flown with migrating cranes and shot a tiger with a tranquiliser gun, Putin celebrated his latest birthday unusually quietly. For the first time in years, he took the day off and retreated to the remote forested taiga in Siberia - some 300-400 kilometres (185-250 miles) from the nearest populated area - for a private celebration. However, despite him shying away from any public celebrations, thousands of people up and down the country chose to honour is birthday with an array of festivities. Scroll down for video . Putin as Atlas, holding up the world, in this painting from the 12 Labours of Putin exhibition . A woman snaps a photo of a painting showing Putin taming an ox bearing the symbol of Crimea . Here Russia's beloved president is depicted battling Western nations disguised as serpents and monsters . Despite nationals celebrations, Putin chose to spend his birthday in a remote part of the Siberian Taiga forest . Nationalist Russians snapped up Vladimir Putin T-shirts, before attending a number of choreographed shows of support staged across the country in honour of the long-serving statesman. In Moscow, a bizarre one-day exhibition dubbed the '12 Labours of Putin' was held, in which the president was depicted as Hercules - battling Western nations disguised as serpents and monsters or taming an ox bearing the symbol of Crimea, the Ukrainian region annexed by Russia in March. In Putin's hometown of St Petersburg, wide-eyed children dressed mostly in white sang 'Happy birthday, President of Russia' 'His life is like a hundred milestones crucial for our country,' the children, part of a singing group called HITryushki, sang in a school classroom with a map of Russia on the wall. At one point, footage shot of their performance spanned from above to show the children standing in the form of a heart. A humorous banner was also unfurled from a Moscow bridge showing U.S. President Barack Obama wearing a T-shirt wishing Putin a happy birthday. In Grozny, the capital of the restive republic of Chechnya, thousands carried a 650-yard Russian flag through the streets alongside an equally massive Chechen flag. Others dressed in the red, white and blue of the Russian tricolor walked through the streets as an enormous human flag, many of them holding portraits of the Russian leader over their heads. Ramzan Kadyrov, Chechnya's president, who also celebrated his birthday this week, wrote on his official Instagram account that there were 100,000 participants. In Grozny, the capital of the restive republic of Chechnya, thousands carried a 650-yard Russian flag through the streets alongside an equally massive Chechen flag. Others dressed in the red, white and blue of the Russian tricolor walked through the streets as an enormous human flag, many of them holding portraits of the Russian leader over their heads. Ramzan Kadyrov, Chechnya's president, who also celebrated his birthday this week, wrote on his official Instagram account that there were 100,000 participants. A column of people forming the Russian national flag march along a street in central Grozny during a rally in honour of Russian President Vladimir Putin . Putin's always-high ratings have skyrocketed this year as he responded to a pro-European coup in Ukraine by seizing Crimea, and reacted defiantly to Western sanctions. His approval rating remains at 86 percent according to the independent Levada Center, which conducted a poll in September with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percent. The support comes despite serious problems for Russia's economy, with Moscow's central bank today forced to prop up the beleaguered rouble. As the Russian economy shuddered due to Western sanctions over the Ukraine crisis, £1.1 billion was thrown at keeping the currency afloat over two days, reported Bloomberg. The IMF gave a strong warning over the Russian economy saying growth would sink to 0.2 per cent for 2014, with a bleak outlook for next year, while analysts warned the rouble was under 'permanent pressure' and inflation was rising. The currency has lost 14 per cent against the US dollar in three months. Muscovites Jana and Albina (R) pose with Vladimir Putin t-shirts outside the GUM department store in Moscow . Albina puckers up next to the image of the Russian president stretched across her friend's bust . Hoodies and sweatshirts with an image of president Putin cuddling a dog on sale at the GUM department store . The men's version shows an ice-cool looking Putin with his shades on . Putin's always-high ratings have skyrocketed this year as he responded to a pro-European coup in Ukraine by seizing Crimea, and reacted defiantly to Western sanctions . Nevertheless, souvenirs decorated with Putin's face have become best-sellers on Red Square, while Russian designers have made him the theme of pricey T-shirts and sweaters. Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, congratulated Putin on his birthday and said his tenure in office had become 'an integral part of national history.' However, as the value of the ruble sinks under pressure from sanctions, some online commentators were less enthusiastic. 'The dollar is 40 (rubles), the Euro is 50 (rubles), and Putin is 62,' was one joke that spread across the web.
Russian president chose to spend his special day in the Siberian wilderness .
Huge choreographed display in Grozny, Chechnya, draws 100,000 people .
Nationalistic Russians snap up Putin-branded T-shirts in Moscow stores .
Russian president Vladimir Putin chose to stay away from an outpouring of public adoration and celebration by spending his 62nd birthday in the remote Siberian wilderness. For a man who has hugged a polar bear, flown with migrating cranes and shot a tiger with a tranquiliser gun, Putin celebrated his latest birthday unusually quietly. For the first time in years, he took the day off and retreated to the remote forested taiga in Siberia - some 300-400 kilometres (185-250 miles) from the nearest populated area - for a private celebration. However, despite him shying away from any public celebrations, thousands of people up and down the country chose to honour is birthday with an array of festivities. Scroll down for video . Putin as Atlas, holding up the world, in this painting from the 12 Labours of Putin exhibition . A woman snaps a photo of a painting showing Putin taming an ox bearing the symbol of Crimea . Here Russia's beloved president is depicted battling Western nations disguised as serpents and monsters . Despite nationals celebrations, Putin chose to spend his birthday in a remote part of the Siberian Taiga forest . Nationalist Russians snapped up Vladimir Putin T-shirts, before attending a number of choreographed shows of support staged across the country in honour of the long-serving statesman. In Moscow, a bizarre one-day exhibition dubbed the '12 Labours of Putin' was held, in which the president was depicted as Hercules - battling Western nations disguised as serpents and monsters or taming an ox bearing the symbol of Crimea, the Ukrainian region annexed by Russia in March. In Putin's hometown of St Petersburg, wide-eyed children dressed mostly in white sang 'Happy birthday, President of Russia' 'His life is like a hundred milestones crucial for our country,' the children, part of a singing group called HITryushki, sang in a school classroom with a map of Russia on the wall. At one point, footage shot of their performance spanned from above to show the children standing in the form of a heart. A humorous banner was also unfurled from a Moscow bridge showing U.S. President Barack Obama wearing a T-shirt wishing Putin a happy birthday. In Grozny, the capital of the restive republic of Chechnya, thousands carried a 650-yard Russian flag through the streets alongside an equally massive Chechen flag. Others dressed in the red, white and blue of the Russian tricolor walked through the streets as an enormous human flag, many of them holding portraits of the Russian leader over their heads. Ramzan Kadyrov, Chechnya's president, who also celebrated his birthday this week, wrote on his official Instagram account that there were 100,000 participants. In Grozny, the capital of the restive republic of Chechnya, thousands carried a 650-yard Russian flag through the streets alongside an equally massive Chechen flag. Others dressed in the red, white and blue of the Russian tricolor walked through the streets as an enormous human flag, many of them holding portraits of the Russian leader over their heads. Ramzan Kadyrov, Chechnya's president, who also celebrated his birthday this week, wrote on his official Instagram account that there were 100,000 participants. A column of people forming the Russian national flag march along a street in central Grozny during a rally in honour of Russian President Vladimir Putin . Putin's always-high ratings have skyrocketed this year as he responded to a pro-European coup in Ukraine by seizing Crimea, and reacted defiantly to Western sanctions. His approval rating remains at 86 percent according to the independent Levada Center, which conducted a poll in September with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percent. The support comes despite serious problems for Russia's economy, with Moscow's central bank today forced to prop up the beleaguered rouble. As the Russian economy shuddered due to Western sanctions over the Ukraine crisis, £1.1 billion was thrown at keeping the currency afloat over two days, reported Bloomberg. The IMF gave a strong warning over the Russian economy saying growth would sink to 0.2 per cent for 2014, with a bleak outlook for next year, while analysts warned the rouble was under 'permanent pressure' and inflation was rising. The currency has lost 14 per cent against the US dollar in three months. Muscovites Jana and Albina (R) pose with Vladimir Putin t-shirts outside the GUM department store in Moscow . Albina puckers up next to the image of the Russian president stretched across her friend's bust . Hoodies and sweatshirts with an image of president Putin cuddling a dog on sale at the GUM department store . The men's version shows an ice-cool looking Putin with his shades on . Putin's always-high ratings have skyrocketed this year as he responded to a pro-European coup in Ukraine by seizing Crimea, and reacted defiantly to Western sanctions . Nevertheless, souvenirs decorated with Putin's face have become best-sellers on Red Square, while Russian designers have made him the theme of pricey T-shirts and sweaters. Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, congratulated Putin on his birthday and said his tenure in office had become 'an integral part of national history.' However, as the value of the ruble sinks under pressure from sanctions, some online commentators were less enthusiastic. 'The dollar is 40 (rubles), the Euro is 50 (rubles), and Putin is 62,' was one joke that spread across the web.
Russian president Vladimir Putin chose to stay remote Siberian wilderness. For a man who has nationals celebrations, Putin chose to spend his department store in Moscow . Albina puckers up the web.