A weekly show glorifying Vladimir Putin's political acumen, physical fitness and love of children has made its debut on Russian state television, raising concerns of a Stalinesque “personality cult”.

The hour-long show, titled “Moscow. Kremlin. Putin.,” comes after the president's popularity took a hit over an widely loathed plan to raise the pension age.

Hosted by Vladimir Soloviev, a TV and radio personality who previously authored documentary films and books about Mr Putin, the first broadcast began with footage of the leader hiking on a holiday in Siberia, meeting with schoolchildren and paying respects to a well-known singer who died last week.

“Putin doesn't just love children, he loves people. He's a very humane human,” the Kremlin spokesman told Mr Soloviev, echoing a famous quote calling Vladimir Lenin the “most humane human”.