Vladimir Putin gave eight rings as gifts to the leaders of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries at an informal summit held in St. Petersburg, reported Kommersant. Putin kept the ninth ring.
The rings are engraved with the CIS symbol and the inscription “Happy New Year 2023.” The rings also bear a smaller inscription – “Russia” (where the summit was held).
A rendering of the rings gifted by Putin
Source: Pul Pervogo
President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, President Sadyr Zhaparov of Kyrgyzstan, President Emomali Rakhmon of Tajikistan, President Serdar Berdymukhamedov of Turkmenistan, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia all received rings from Putin.
Kommersant published a photo of the ring on Alexander Lukashenko's hand
The Nine Rings of Power are the central artifacts of J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings novels. The rings, used by the dark lord Sauron to corrupt men into his service, are the centerpiece of the plot. Nine rings were given to nine kings of men, all of whom subsequently became wraiths known as the Nazgûl, Sauron's most deadly servants.