Russian President Vladimir Putin has landed in China as the Beijing Winter Olympics officially kick off

Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Beijing for the Winter Olympics.

The Games are set to get underway in a matter of hours, where 90 countries will compete across 15 sports.

Mr Putin will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in his first face-to-face meeting with a world leader in nearly two years.

President Xi has not left China since January 2020, when the country began grappling with its first wave of COVID-19.

The pair have attracted world-wide attention as tensions grow with the US over Ukraine and other issues.

The most divided Olympic Games in decades is set to get under way in China on Friday

With tight COVID-19 controls in place, the Games have been fraught with political tensions over allegations of human rights abuses occurring within China and boycotts.

Beijing’s step into history as the first city to host both seasons of the games, will officially get underway with the opening ceremony on Friday night.

While it won’t look the same as in 2008, with far fewer people in attendance due to protocols over coronavirus, the event will take place at the Bird’s Nest national stadium.

The 2008 opening ceremony lasted over four hours but this year’s edition is expected to come in under two hours due to the colder weather, with temperatures hovering either side of zero in Beijing.