Russian President Vladimir Putin has joined thousands of people at a funeral for leading Russian politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky in Moscow.
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Putin's attendance at the ceremony was his first public appearance in a considerable period of time.
Zhirinovsky, the faction leader of the ultra-nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, died on Wednesday at the age of 75 after being hospitalised for more than two months due to COVID-19.
He was known for his fiery tirades against the West and for his speeches, often punctuated with screams, his face bright red.
His blunt, undiplomatic language earned him a reputation as one of Russia's most colourful politicians.
He ran in presidential elections six times, most recently in 2018, when he came third with 5.65 per cent of the vote.
Meanwhile, in Moscow a power struggle broke out over who will replace him at the top of the LDPR, one of five parties loyal to the Kremlin in the State Duma.
Zhirinovsky was buried at the Novodevichy Convent, Moscow's cemetery for leading figures.
While many had earlier thought he would be buried alongside other members of his family in the Troyekurovo cemetery, he said he wanted to be laid to rest in the high-profile burial site.
Australian Associated Press
