Party man Yurakov: Eager to please

The commission has come from the local branch of the pro-Putin Unity Party, whose deputy leader Viktor Yurakov wants to see Mr Putin's bust in his party offices.

Mr Yurakov told journalists he thought Mr Putin was the only contemporary politician who deserved to be embodied in bronze by an artist.

Sculptor Aleksandr Palmin has previously cast historical figures like Peter the Great and the powerful early 20th Century Prime Minister, Petr Stolypin.

"Their characters are clearly visible. They look like strong state leaders," the TV said.

But former spy Mr Putin, who spent a career being professionally nondescript, could pose a problem.

"It has been difficult to achieve a likeness. The features of the former intelligence officer are too ordinary and undistinguishable."

In Soviet times, busts were big business.

Putin joins the great Russian heroes

Monuments to Soviet leaders and heroes adorned every public square, and smaller versions could be found in otherwise empty shops.

At one time no self-respecting left-winger could visit the secretive USSR without bringing back a small bust of Lenin for the desk.

Now it seems some of Mr Putin's followers might want to revive the "personality cults" which surrounded Communist leaders.

"Some people wanted small busts of the president for their offices," Mr Palmin said.

"We decided to make the first one for Viktor and then see."

BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.