The Russian president's visit to China on Tuesday and Wednesday will see the embattled leader - weakened in the fifth year of fighting in the Ukraine war - push for even more help from its biggest and most important ally. In a video released right before he got on the plane, Putin said the countries' decades-long relations had "reached a truly unprecedented level".
Speaking to "Chinese friends", he said: "I deeply appreciate President Xi Jinping’s commitment to long-term cooperation with Russia", emphasizing the "special nature" of the relationship and "warm and friendly" ties.