MOSCOW, August 5 (AP) — President Vladimir Putin has gone spearfishing in southern Siberia’s mountains, the latest stunt for the action man and adventure-loving Russian leader.
Footage released Saturday by Russian state television stations showed Putin steering an inflatable boat and fishing bare-chested with a rod in a mountain lake, accompanied by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and other officials.
It also showed Putin fishing underwater with a spear gun. Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the president spent two hours hunting a pike before finally getting it during Wednesday’s trip.
Putin has frequently engaged in action stunts since taking the helm in 2000, flying combat jets, riding horses and fishing bare-chested. He also accompanied a flock of cranes on a hang glider, shot a tiger with a tranquilizer gun and released leopards into a wildlife sanctuary.
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In this photo released by Kremlin press service on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a fish he caught while fishing during a mini-break in the Siberian Tyva region, a few days ago. (Alexei Nikolsky/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)[/caption]
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In this photo released by Kremlin press service on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin swims during a mini-break in the Siberian Tyva region a few days ago. (Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)[/caption]
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In this photo released by Kremlin press service on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin swims during a mini-break in the Siberian Tyva region a few days ago. (Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)[/caption]
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In this photo released by Kremlin press service on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin holds his trophy catch while fishing during a mini-break in the Siberian Tyva region a few days ago. (Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_291988" align="aligncenter" width="690"]
In this photo released by Kremlin press service on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin swims during a mini-break in the Siberian Tyva region, a few days ago. (Alexei Nikolsky/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)[/caption]