A puppy for New Year's: Putin plays Santa to girl in Primorye

In the Kavalerovo village in the distant Primorye Region, 12-year-old Liza Vorobyova has long dreamed of having a Pomeranian Spitz puppy. Today, that wish came true in the form of a New Year's gift directly from President Vladimir Putin.

In September she sent a letter to the president saying her family couldn’t afford to buy a dog, but she hoped that one day she'd have a fluffy friend.

She gave the pedigreed puppy the name of Sam, who had to journey across the country from Nizhny Novgorod to Kavalerovo.

New Year's Eve is one of the most celebrated holidays in Russia, and we know what adults are wishing for – do you? Find out in our story.

If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.