Campaign group Led by Donkeys, which opposes Farage's views, said it was responsible for the stunt at the Columbine Centre, at Walton on the Naze in southeast England, and posted a video of the unveiling on X.

That showed the banner slowly unfurling behind a speaking Farage, revealing a smiling Putin giving a thumbs-up sign, along with the words "I (heart emoji) Nigel".

Led By Donkeys said on X, "Nigel Farage says Putin is the world leader he 'admires the most' and blames the West for Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine."

That was a reference to comments Farage made earlier this month when he said the eastward expansion of the European Union and NATO had provoked Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

--Reuters--