MOSCOW: As Vladimir Putin's 60th birthday approaches, a wave of biting satire is starting to hurt his macho image.
Putin has cultivated a sober and vigorous image in contrast with Boris Yeltsin. But his spokesman said he was paying little attention to his birthday on October 7 because of his passion for his job. The satire is focused on the internet, which has helped remove the shackles on criticism and where Putin's opponents announce their protests.
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