Putin's changing faces: From an uncomfortable-looking unknown in an ill-fitting ... trends now

Vladimir Putin today began his fifth term as Russian leader at a glittering Kremlin inauguration to kick off another six years in office after the previous stint saw him destroy his political opponents and wreak havoc in Ukraine.

Already in office for nearly a quarter-century and the longest-serving Kremlin leader since Josef Stalin, Putin's new term does not expire until 2030, when he will be constitutionally eligible to run again.

But the 71-year-old will undoubtedly face incessant speculation about the state of his health in the coming years, having undergone much-heightened scrutiny since the invasion of Ukraine.

The aged autocrat now cuts a very different figure from the 47-year-old who became acting president of the Russian Federation when his predecessor, Boris Yeltsin, resigned on the eve of the millennium. 

A once-svelte KGB officer and martial arts practitioner, Putin is now a bloated and seemingly brittle man with a lilting gait and a stiff, scowling visage likely held in place by copious amounts of botox and more than one facelift.

And there are even rumours that he employs several body doubles to stand in for various public appearances as he grapples with mounting health issues. 

Here, MailOnline travels back in time to analyse how Putin has changed over the years, charting his course from a shrewd spy-turned-politician into a greying dictator and warmonger. 

2000s - First two presidential terms

Putin became acting president on New Year's Eve 1999 and was inaugurated on May 7, 2000 after winning elections in the first round in March. 

When he ascended to the presidency in his mid-40s, Putin was a fit, articulate and youthful leader - a stark contrast to his aged, alcoholic predecessor Boris Yeltsin and the greyed and balding Soviet-era chiefs. 

Putin was a huntsman, a black belt in Judo and a cerebral debater, with piercing cold blue eyes and a sharp jawline. 

He was often snapped bearing a subtle, knowing smirk and a glint in his cold, grey eyes that suggested he had long been plotting his rise to the top. 

But he had not yet assumed the persona of an all-powerful autocrat with which he is synonymous today. 

Oversized suits hung from his shoulders and made him seem like a young upstart, who perhaps looked a little disbelieving to find himself shaking hands and hobnobbing with all manner of world leaders from Bill Clinton to Queen Elizabeth II.

And at times he appeared a little awkward, as if somewhat uncomfortable with being the centre of attention. 

This was not an issue that troubled him for long, however. 

By the time of his 2004 inauguration for his second term as president, he had evidently settled in and set about solidifying his grip on power.

2010s - Return to power after stint as Prime Minister

Upon returning to the presidency after a four-year stint as Prime Minister between 2008-2012, Putin embodied the role of a virile, intimidating strongman. 

By the time of his third inauguration in May 2012, Putin was already closing in on 60  - but images of the black belt effortlessly tossing martial arts experts over his shoulder, galloping bare-chested on horseback and plunging stone-faced into icy lakes were ubiquitous.

He had also found himself a tailor - the outsized grey business garbs that draped over him as a first-term president were exchanged for sleek, tight-fitting business suits. 

When not expected to be fully suited and booted, Putin was often seen sporting smart jackets with a crisp, open-collar white shirt exposing the powerful chest underneath.  

This time, though, his presidential term would stretch for six rather than four years, thanks to an amendment to Russia's constitution that was miraculously tabled and agreed upon months after he handed the presidency off to crony Medvedev in 2008.

Putin underwent a noticeable change in those six years, appearing for his fourth inauguration in Moscow in May 2018 - four years after the annexation of Crimea - a visibly different figure.

His face shape was unquestionably different - the strongman had undoubtedly gained some weight, but there was something else. 

The president's features were smoother and more rounded despite his age and his eyebrows and cheeks seemed fixed in position, altering the nature of his gaze.

His lips meanwhile appeared sunken in and somehow tighter as if excess skin had been sucked from around his mouth.

The subtle changes led many to speculate Putin had undergone some kind of plastic surgery in an effort to retain the semblance of virility and physical prowess.

He was also balding

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