In a tweet on both English and Russian language accounts he has used in the past, Dmitry Rogozin posted a photo of Obama and Putin each holding animals. Obama holds an apparently emasculating small dog while Putin is seen with a much more intimidating leopard.
The caption: "We have different values and allies."
Putin is well-known for his alpha-male branding and is frequently photographed showing off is toughness, including: holding a gun while shirtless, performing judo moves, and posing with animals like polar bears and tigers.
Vice News reported in 2011 that Rogozin is the "Chuck Norris of stirring up trouble on Twitter" with "an uncanny ability to tweak, torque, and otherwise irritate folks with amazing verbal economy." In April of 2014, Rogozin caused a diplomatic spat by tweeting an insinuation he'd send the Russian military to bomb Romania.
The latest tweet comes at point of particular hostility between the U.S. and Russia. On Tuesday, Obama rolled out tough new sanctions against Russia for continuing to aid the Ukrainian separatists he blames for shooting down a Malaysian Airlines passenger jet over Ukraine.
View the tweet below.
We have different values and allies pic.twitter.com/aJ1312jJNx
- Dmitry Rogozin (@DRogozin) July 31, 2014