Vladimir Putin 'Falls Asleep' During Ukraine Procession at Beijing Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony

President Vladimir Putin appeared to fall asleep during the Beijing Winter Olympics opening ceremony on Friday... right when his neighbor's athletes were making their way into the National Stadium.

With the globe currently on tenterhooks watching 100,000 Russian troops surrounding the former Soviet republic amid fear of an invasion — which Russia denies — it was perhaps only natural for the cameraman to chance a glance at the 10-year President to see if he was looking... but the only thing he appeared to be looking at was the backs of his eyelids.

The cameras showed the 69-year-old slumped in his seat with his eyes closed, The Independent reported, as the Ukrainian team marched into the Bird's Nest.

He was fully alert and wide awake by the time the Russian athletes made their way in however... even though technically, they are not even officially representing his country. Russia is currently serving a four year ban from competing at the games, imposed by the International Olympic Committee in 2019 after they found the state had been secretly allowing and even supplying athletes with steroids.

Russian athletes taking part in the games must compete under a neutral flag, and are designated the "Russian Olympic Committee"... although that didn't stop them wearing the Russian white, blue and red flags on their clothing on Friday.

To be fair to the cameraperson, there was less of a selection of state heads to cut to during the ceremony: Canada, Australia, the UK and the US are all taking part in a diplomatic boycott of the games — meaning they are sending athletes, but not government officials — in protest at China's human rights record.

Russia, which has growing support from China in its dispute with Ukraine, clearly opted not to join the boycott.