Vladimir Putin has been threatened with arrest in South Africa ahead of a controversial visit expected later this year.

The opposition premier of South Africa’s Western Cape said if the Russian president enters the province, he will be arrested.

Alan Winde attacked the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for apparently pushing ahead with plans to welcome Putin, despite the International Criminal Court ordering his arrest.

Leaders of Russia, China and other Brics nations are scheduled to attend a summit in South Africa later this year.

Mr Winde said pressing ahead with inviting the Russian leader would be “unacceptable and deplorable”.

He said: “Putin has consistently and violently eroded the freedoms of the Ukrainian people and those in his own country who dare take a principled stand against his brutal actions.”

'Police ready at the airport for arrest'

The ICC warrant obliges South Africa to arrest Putin if he visits the country, but the ANC has a long-standing friendship with Moscow. The party has also defied an ICC warrant in the past, refusing to arrest former Sudanese dictator Omar al-Bashir in 2015.

Mr Winde said locally-funded police in the province, which includes Cape Town, would act if the government did not order national police to act.

ANC supporters mocked Mr Winde, of the Democratic Alliance party, for over-reaching his powers. Mr Winde said he would have police ready at the airport and would liaise with Interpol and the ICC if necessary, to make the arrest.

Putin’s allies have previously said any attempt to arrest the Russian leader would be considered an act of war.

The Kremlin says the ICC arrest warrant for Putin’s alleged role in the deportation of hundreds of Ukrainian children is a partisan decision.

Yet Putin’s potential presence at the summit has created an intense diplomatic quandary for South Africa’s president.

Cyril Ramaphosa earlier this week appeared to say the country would leave the ICC, only for the ANC to then roll back his comments.

He has also sent a delegation to Washington this week amid concerns the US may eject South Africa from a trade deal because of its tilt towards Moscow and Beijing.

Diplomatic sources have suggested envoys are looking for a fudge, such as Putin attending by video link.