Russian acting President and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin speaks during a Security Council meeting in the Kremlin 31 December 1999.

The tough talking, non-nonsense approach has been a fundamental part of Putin's leadership: It is not only a display of strong emotions, but an integral part of his image.

“All these phrases, they form a 'macho' image, a decisive man,” explains political analyst Dmitry Oreshkin. “But it is by no means spontaneous, but very carefully planned.”

“Like when he was asked if he really wanted to hang Saakashvili by a certain body part and he answered, 'why just one?' That is what we call a well-planned improvisation: an image maker's tactic that fits Putin's personal style. And it works, because many people actually like it. But how related is it to reality, well, that’s a different issue,” says Oreshkin.

Putin’s first presidential term was tough. Although the war in Chechnya was formally declared over, a string of terrorist attacks rattled Russia’s nerves.

But by his second presidential term, however, Vladimir Putin looked undeniably comfortable at the top.

Then Russian President Vladimir Putin rides a horse near the foothills of the Western Sayan Mountains in the Republic of Tuva, 15 August 2007. / AFP Photo / RIA Novosti / Kremlin Pool / Dmitry Astakhov

“It was a very subtle change,” comments stylist and image maker Vlad Lisovets. “His image lost some of the simplicity that was there in the beginning. He's a very attractive man, a very strong personality.”

“Clothes are not his top priority, but his suits – they changed. At first, they looked like they were not the right size; they were a bit too big. But the wide shoulders, they suit him. They complete the tough-guy image,” concludes Lisovets.

That image, alongside Putin's no-nonsense approach transformed the Russian politician from a powerful man into a powerful brand. As Putin says, ‘the weak get beaten;’ and Russia was not going to be weak on his watch.

His straight talking was sometimes unsubtle and hardly diplomatic. His delivery style oftentimes put translators at a loss.

“If you want to become an Islamic radical, and want to circumcise yourself, well, then I invite you to Moscow,” Putin said in reply to a question in Brussels. “We have many specialists, including in that field. They'll do such a good a job you won’t have anything growing there ever again.”

Shocking audiences became his trademark, and the tough-guy stance continued as he returned to the post of Prime Minister. Ten years on, Putin is still attracting attention both at home and abroad with his physical prowess, which has taken him to the bottom of Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest freshwater lake, to the skies aboard a supersonic fighter jet. And who could forget those recent shots of the Russian leader enjoying his vacation on horseback without a shirt in Siberia?

After ten years in the international arena, Putin the man has become Putin the brand. Today, that brand is almost synonymous with Russia. And maybe that is why, when Vladmir Putin commented that “nothing will stop Russia on the road to strengthening democracy and ensuring human rights and freedoms” many took his words as a personal guarantee.