'Did Putin Have a Facelift?'

For some reason there don't appear to be many photos out there of Putie with a shiner. Guess people are too afraid to embarrass the Communist hack. We found the one above here and he appears heavily pancaked.

Vladimir Putin, who has carved out a strongman image by wrestling with tigers or judo opponents, raised eyebrows Thursday as he was pictured caked in make-up, apparently to mask a black eye.

Journalists feverishly speculated that the Russian premier could have taken a punch during a judo session or even had a facelift, after he visited Kiev on Wednesday slathered in war paint.

"Ukrainian, Russian and Western journalists ... talked only of one thing: How did the Russian prime minister get a black eye?," reported Kommersant business daily's Kremlin correspondent Andrei Kolesnikov.

"Could it really be the result of some tough sparring? While it was carefully covered up, it was noticeable to everyone without exception."

While some leaders regularly wear make-up for televised meetings, Putin has always stayed barefaced in the past, journalists said.

Putin arrived for talks with Ukrainian leaders in a "bad mood" and with "something like a big bruise on his left cheekbone. He also had on his face a very noticeable swelling," reported Ukrainian television channel TCH.

"It was all badly covered up with make-up."

Aw, poor Putie-poot. Maybe he's just been up late worrying about the heavy losses his comrades in America are about to suffer.