The First Minister has come under fire at Holyrood after he refused to apologise for expressing admiration for Vladimir Putin and said he would not withdraw comments he made about the Russian president.

Alex Salmond insisted his Scottish Government had adopted a "serious attitude" towards the "serious subject" of the Russian leader's behaviour.

He was challenged on the issue after he said in a magazine interview that he admired ''certain aspects'' of Mr Putin's leadership but did not approve of a ''range of Russian actions''.

Labour leader Johann Lamont demanded the SNP leader withdraw his "ill-judged" remarks and apologise to people in both Scotland and Ukraine.

Tory leader Ruth Davidson and Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie also pressed Mr Salmond on the remarks, with the clashes dominating exchanges at First Minister's Questions.

Ms Lamont was the first to attack the First Minister, stating: "According to Amnesty International, Vladimir Putin has effectively criminalised homosexuality, has cracked down on democratic dissent, carries out arbitary arrests and has corrupted the judicial process. Then, there are the many journalists who have disappeared after criticising the Kremlin.

"Yet the First Minister has expressed his admiration for Putin. Will the First Minister now withdraw his ill-judged comments and apologise to the people of Scotland and the people of Ukraine?"

Mr Salmond told her "No", but added he would explain his comments.

"The first thing I said was I didn't approve of a range of Russian actions, by which I meant not just their attitude to Ukraine but also their attitude to human rights, particularly towards homosexuals," he stated.

"I said also I believed he had been underestimated by the Western press, I think that's pretty obvious now.

"I did express my admiration for certain aspects, by which I had in mind the restoration of Russian pride because I was speaking in the aftermath of the Sochi Olympics, indeed I was speaking during the Paralympics."

He told how External Affairs Secretary Fiona Hyslop had met the Russian Consul General in January to voice Scottish Government "opposition to Russian policies on homosexuality".

The First Minister added that in March this year the Scottish Government had "expressed again to the Consul General our concern about Russian attitudes to Ukraine".

He insisted: "The Scottish Government and my position on these aspects have been totally consistent throughout."

Mr Salmond added: "I think on the explanation of the serious attitude we've taken to this serious subject, I think that is a reasonable perspective which reflects the views of the people of Scotland."

But he also attacked opposition leaders for failing to condemn Russian actions in Ukraine.

"I was searching today to find what Johann Lamont had said about the situation in Ukraine, and I couldn't find a single comment, not just from Johann Lamont but any of the opposition leaders this year," the First Minister said.

Ms Lamont hit back: "No matter how hard the First Minister googles, he will not find me expressing any admiration for Vladimir Putin."

She added: "On the question of Sochi I think the protesters beaten with horsewhips at Sochi might have a different view of the success of the Sochi Olympics."

While Mr Salmond said his Government "deprecated" the Russian action in Ukraine, and had consistently spoken out on human rights issues there, the Labour leader said this was "completely undermined" by his comments about Mr Putin.

She hit out: "Putin has annexed Crimea. Putin says acts like annexing Crimea had restored Russian pride. Alex Salmond has praised Putin for restoring Russian pride.

"Does the First Minister, not even at this stage, see his comments were at best ill-judged and must be withdrawn?"

She demanded: "What on earth does he admires so much about Putin? Even at this stage, will Alex Salmond now apologise for praising Vladimir Putin?"

Ms Lamont went on to claim: "The reputation of the people of Scotland is damaged by the performance of the First Minister.

"He wouldn't meet the Dalai Lama but he praises Rupert Murdoch, he praises Nigel Farage and praises an ex-KGB officer accused of abusing his own citizens' human rights, all in the one interview."

Mr Salmond insisted that was a "series of misquotations" from the Labour leader.

He stated: "I say again, the first thing I said in the interview was that I didn't approve of a range of Russian actions and I have indicated how we communicated that to the Consul General."

The First Minister added: "Consistently, this Government has set out what these issues are, despite the silence from all of the opposition parties on these issues.

"We have deprecated Russian action and attitude towards Ukraine. We have spelled out and said we don't support Russia's attitude to human rights or homosexuality. We've done these things consistently throughout this year.

"Which is why we have substantially more credibility than the opposition parties in this chamber, and why we will continue to say them without fear and without favour."

Conservative leader Ruth Davidson claimed Mr Salmond had been consistently wrong on world affairs.

"This is a question of judgement," she told Parliament.

"The First Minister says that he backs our key British alliances across the world.

"He's shifted his tack to support Nato, he says he wants to show our closest allies in Europe and the US that he will stand alongside them.

"Yet, at the same time we see a leader who continues to make poorly-timed, badly-judged interventions on foreign affairs.

"The First Minister was wrong about Kosovo and he is wrong about Putin.

"We know what Amnesty International thinks, we know what Ukrainian people in Scotland think, we know what other world leaders think.

"How can we trust the First Minister to represent Scotland on the global stage when he so consistently gets it wrong?"

Mr Salmond suggested the Conservatives were using the opportunity to make a politically-motivated attack.

Prime Minister David Cameron, the UK Conservative leader, has already been accused in media reports of trying to persuade Mr Putin to help stop the campaign for Scottish independence, he said.

"Ruth Davidson will understand why if in January you were appealing for Vladimir Putin's support it comes ill to come to this chamber and tell us you condemned him throughout," Mr Salmond said.

Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie also criticised Mr Salmond.

"The First Minister isn't a homophobe, nor does he support the Syrian regime, but he must realise that if he praises people who do, he diminishes himself," he said.

"He mentioned Sochi - the Prime Minister and leaders of the western world spoke for us all when they boycotted Sochi because of Putin.

"But the First Minister praises Putin because of Sochi."

Mr Rennie suggested the First Minister has a bad track record.

"Kowtowing to the Chinese over the Dalai Lama, on Kosovo, and now on Russia," he said.

"The First Minister wants us to stand tall in the world but doesn't he just look small?"

Mr Salmond again stood by the comments, said Sochi had been excellent, and said the Scottish Parliament as a whole has stood up for human rights.

He held up a printed copy of a BBC interview where he was said to have raised human rights concerns with the Chinese leadership.

"I think I've got a track record of raising human rights with countries across the world without fear or favour," he said.

A spokesman for the First Minister later said the entire Scottish cabinet shares the First Minister's views on Mr Putin.

Asked if the senior ministers agreed, the spokesman replied: "Yes".

But he added he was not aware of "any specific discussion" among the senior ministerial team about the GQ interview