Vladimir Putin ‘falls asleep’ at Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony during Ukrainian team is introduced

The Russian president appeared to doze off during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics Friday as Ukraine’s national team marched through the stadium.

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The world leader was caught on camera slumped in his chair with his eyes closed as the athletes were introduced and their national anthem blared, according to the UK Independent.

Putin’s eyes then flitted open and he was up and at ‘em by the time the Russian Olympic Committee team entered Beijing’s National Stadium, standing to salute them.

The president’s ill-timed snooze came amid tense relations between Russia and Ukraine after Putin placed more than 100,000 troops on the nation’s border.

Images of the notoriously shrewd politician’s shut-eye sparked speculation on Twitter later Friday that he “faked” the nap as a slight to the rival country.

Putin was at the winter games despite Russia’s four-year ban from the Olympics in 2019 due to widespread doping violations and a state-sanctioned cover-up.

The ban forbids Russian athletes from competing under their flag or hearing their national anthem played at the games but allows them to participate as the Russian Olympic Committee.

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as Vladimir Putin ‘falls asleep’ during Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony as Ukrainian team is introduced