Russian President Vladimir Putin could be suffering from a "Napoleon complex" that has pushed the world to the brink of war, an expert has claimed.
The Russian President is just 5ft 7ins tall, which is three inches smaller than the average Russian and may explain Putin's maniacal behaviour.
The image-conscious president could join a list of rulers including Napoleon, Hitler and Stalin as failed leaders whose height got the better of them, leading to the provocation of bloody wars in Europe.
Professor Abraham Buunk and Professor Mark van Vugt argue that Putin is suffering from a bad Napoleon Complex, with some reports suggesting the Russian President could be as short as 5ft 2ins.
The psychological claim allegedly afflicted French emperor Napoleon, who was often depicted as short.
Theories stemming from the Napoleon complex mentality claim that some insecure smaller men tend to be more aggressive and domineering, seeking to assert themselves and their power over others through ruthless means.
Experts have since claimed that Putin is showing all the signs of a classic Napoleon complex case, The Sun reported.
Snaps of the Russian President show Putin wearing some oddly clunky shoes, with some theorising that the chunky high heeled shoes are there to boost his height, with lifts buried inside the shoes.
Professor van Vugt has said the tyrant is adopting ruthless tactics like poisoning and warfare to "compensate for his lack of physical strength" and said world leaders must be "very careful that… [pushing him] doesn't start a third world war".
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Speaking to The Sun, the professor said: "He wants to come across as a strong leader. The way he poses for the camera, all these pictures of him bare chested, playing ice-hockey, hunting.
"They are all the kind of things you see in someone who is not secure in their power position and that may be the result of his short stature – the more dominant, authoritarian kind of strategies to be taken seriously."
Professor Buunk backed the claims, saying: "He is more paranoid than tall people because, as a short person, he can see all types of dangers because he would have always felt threatened by tall people around him and needed to do something to attain status and power."
Boffin van Vugt has said to be firm with Putin is the only way to deal with him, warning that pushing him too far could lead to World War 3.
He said: "You must give him no way to cheat. You need to be a strict negotiator and apply tit-for-tat strategies to knock some sense into him.
"Be tough by being fair and give him a way out."
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