LifeNews, a Russian media outlet with close ties to the security services, published a video on Wednesday titled "Vladimir Putin in India" that for some reason features the Russian president defeating Batman.
View this video on YouTube
As the title indicates, the video starts with Putin arriving at the recent BRICS* Summit in India, living his best life at the luxury five-star hotel Hotel.
We cut to Batman (?!?) arriving at the CIA where he gets his instructions: eavesdrop on Vladimir Putin**.
Batman sets off on his mission but finds that his stealth skills fail in the face of Putin's keen senses, as the Russian president takes out the Caped Crusader with a can of common bug spray and calmly watches him plummet.
Okay, a couple of things to unpack here. First off, bats are not bugs.
Second, we have to note the irony in Batman working for the CIA, given that the Russian military's intelligence branch — the GRU — basically stole Batman's symbol***.
Next, Batman is an odd choice to play the US surrogate, a role usually filled by Superman.
Fourth, it's weird that LifeNews, given its cozy relationship with the Kremlin and, would cast Putin in the supervillain role.
Anyway, congrats on supplanting the Joker as Batman's archnemesis, Mr. Putin.
