Moscow, Oct 7 (PTI) Vladimir Putin, the longest-serving President of Russia, turned 73 on Tuesday and many of his supporters are lauding his role in transforming the country.

“Putin stopped further fragmentation of Russia and put it back on its historical path," Kremlin envoy on Ukraine Vladimir Medinsky wrote on his Telegram channel.

He said that Putin assumed office on the eve of 2000 at a time when the country was going through the trauma of the Soviet Union collapse and threat of fragmentation of the Russian Federation.

Similar sentiments were expressed by Speaker of State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, Governor of Moscow region Andrei Vorobyov and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin as Putin is receiving birthday wishes from world leaders.

Benyamin Nethanyahu was perhaps the first foreign lead

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