The Russian leader is reportedly mounting an enormous military mission to take control of the ISIS terror group’s stronghold of Raqqa. The city is the self-declared capital of ISIS in Syria and is patrolled by as many as 5,000 jihadi members.

Putin is set to mobilise 150,000 reservists who he conscripted into the military in September. Following the Paris attacks, Putin hinted he was ready to join forces with the West to tackle Islamic State. He told David Cameron: “The recent tragic events in France show that we should join efforts in preventing terror.”