Putin wears £7,000 Brioni Italian suit while lecturing Russians on the 'evils' of NATO

• Putin was taking part in a forum on modern medical technologies in Moscow

Putin has been spotted wearing a £7,000 Brioni Italian suit while lecturing Russians on the ‘evils’ of NATO.

The label of his jacket was visible as he took part in a forum on modern medical technologies in Moscow yesterday.

He raised his arm, seeking to show the audience that a Russian person could drink with his hands trembling.

Brioni is an elite label from Italy, a NATO country. Such a suit would cost £7,000 before individual adjustments.

The price of the suit compares with an average pension in Russia of £38.49 a week.

The label of Putin’s Brioni suit jacket was visible as he took part in a forum on modern medical technologies in Moscow yesterday

Brioni is an elite label from Italy, a NATO country. Such a suit would cost £7,000 before individual adjustments

Putin famously hides his expensive tastes and wealth – including his palaces and fleet of ocean-going private yachts – from his people.

He has ordered his officials to give up Western goods. For example, they must now use inferior Russian-made official cars.

But when it comes to clothing, he does not apply the same rules to himself.

Telegram channel Ne TV commented: ‘Putin talks about NATO’s desire to take over Russia, the corrupting influence of the West and the importance of import substitution in a Brioni suit from the NATO country of Italy.’

It comes as Putin has ousted his Black Sea Fleet commander after the sinking of his latest warship, it has been reported.

The move came the day after the dictator was informed about the humiliating loss of the £170 million large landing ship Caesar Kunikov off the coast of annexed Crimea.

Putin at the forum. The Russian President has has ordered his officials to give up Western goods. For example, they must now use inferior Russian-made official cars

Putin speaking at the event. The price of Putin’s suit compares with an average pension in Russia of £38.49 a week

‘Admiral Viktor Sokolov has finally been removed from the post of commander of the Black Sea Fleet,’ said the loyalist Telegram channel Military Informant.

Sokolov, 61, has been replaced for now by his deputy, Vice-Admiral Sergey Pinchuk, 52, say reports.

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‘It seems that it has become impossible to ignore the latest heavy losses of the fleet,’ the Telegram channel said.

Earlier this month, the fleet lost £55 million Black Sea missile ship Ivanovets, also off Crimea.

It was not immediately clear if the hapless Sokolov had been suspended or fired.

But he has paid the price of failing to combat Ukraine’s innovative kamikaze sea drones which accounted for both the Ivanovets and Caesar Kunikov.

Sokolov was appointed in 2022 following the embarrassing loss of Black Sea Fleet flagship, Moskva, a state-of-the-art cruiser, in a Neptune missile strike by Ukraine.

Ukraine claims 27 successful strikes on the fleet since the start of the war.

Pro-Kremlin military analyst Sergey Markov also reported the decision to oust Sokolov.

‘The commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet has been replaced,’ he posted.

‘This decision has been met with great understanding and approval in Russia.’

‘Admiral Viktor Sokolov has finally been removed from the post of commander of the Black Sea Fleet,’ said the loyalist Telegram channel Military Informant

Sokolov, 61, has been replaced for now by his deputy, Vice-Admiral Sergey Pinchuk, 52, (pictured) say reports

A day earlier Markov had complained that losses in the Black Sea Fleet meant Russia could no longer fulfil Putin’s dream to take port Odesa.

Another war reporter Roman Saponkov said of Sokolov: ‘He ruined so many ships.’

There was no official announcement over Sokolov’s demise.

But the admiral’s brother Vyacheslav Sokolov told Telegram channel VChK-OGPU that the commander had been ‘suspended’.

The attack on the Caesar Kunikov was by five Magura 5 sea drones, said the head of Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency Lt-Gen Kyrylo Budanov.

‘The ship was transporting cargo from Novorossiysk to Sevastopol,’ he said.

In September, Sokolov famously ‘came back from the dead’ after initial Ukrainian claims that he was one of 34 officers killed in a devastating missile strike on the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet is Sevastopol.

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