Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
| Subscribe to Newser's RSS feeds RSS | Follow Newser on Twitter Twitter


24

Putin Trip Is Tough-Guy Photo Op

Official pics show Russian PM swimming, riding bareback in Siberia

Share

(Newser) – Vladimir Putin spent his vacation in southern Siberia swimming, climbing trees, and riding a horse bareback—all while shirtless. Though state news agencies portrayed the Russian prime minister’s trip as a vacation, the series of tough-guy photographs that emerged make it hard not to think he had a motive beyond recreation, notes the Telegraph: shoring up his image as a ripped, fearless man-of-action.

Vladimir Putin goes for a swim.
Vladimir Putin goes for a swim.   (AP Photo/ RIA Novosti, Alexei Drizhinin, Pool)
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin feeds a horse in the mountains of the Siberian Tyva region (also referred to as Tuva), Russia, during his short vacation.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin feeds a horse in the mountains of the Siberian Tyva region (also referred to as Tuva), Russia, during his short vacation.   (AP Photo/ RIA Novosti, Alexei Drizhinin, Pool)
In this photo taken on Monday, Aug. 3, 2009, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin rides a horse in the mountains of the Siberian Tyva region (also referred to as Tuva), Russia, during his short vacation.
In this photo taken on Monday, Aug. 3, 2009, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin rides a horse in the mountains of the Siberian Tyva region (also referred to as Tuva), Russia, during his short vacation.   (AP Photo/ RIA Novosti, Alexei Drizhinin, Pool)
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin adjusts his hat as he sits in a tree while traveling in the the Siberian Tyva region (also referred to as Tuva), Russia, during his short vacation.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin adjusts his hat as he sits in a tree while traveling in the the Siberian Tyva region (also referred to as Tuva), Russia, during his short vacation.   (AP Photo/ RIA Novosti, Alexei Drizhinin, Pool)
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin walks in the mountains of the Siberian Tyva region (also referred to as Tuva), Russia, during his short vacation.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin walks in the mountains of the Siberian Tyva region (also referred to as Tuva), Russia, during his short vacation.   (AP Photo/ RIA Novosti, Alexei Drizhinin, Pool)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
OFF THE GRID
11.23.09
Books Are Bad for You
11.20.09
The Health-Care Wars Have Just Begun
24 comments
VIEWING:
 
Radzyn
Aug 4, 09 5:00 PM CDT
Ahhh the good old Soviet Bear. My wife says he circulates these kinda pics all over Russia every other year. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+6
AmExpat
Aug 4, 09 5:12 PM CDT
I have to say, I love it when Putin releases these sort of pics. Always good for a chuckle. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+8
IN RESPONSE:
Newser001
Aug 4, 09 9:56 PM CDT
That picture of him and that horse... That isn't right - I have to draw the line at bestiality.
Vote up! Vote down!
-1
kokuaguy
Aug 4, 09 5:13 PM CDT
Wow. I wish we had an athletic, charismatic, exciting, manly, sexy president like that .... Oh, what was I thinking? We do !!! Just one problem ... a lot of folks seem to think he wants to take away our freedoms and control the world. Could he have been born in the USSR? Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
-3
IN RESPONSE:
ClearSight
Aug 5, 09 8:29 AM CDT
Putin at least does act and do "manly" things unlike Prez limp wrist......
Vote up! Vote down!
-4

View all 24 comments »

LEAVE A
COMMENT Comment Policy
Facebook ConnectPost this comment to Facebook?

After connecting you will have the option to post your comment on your Facebook profile.

 

Related Newser Stories

199 Stories

FBI Let Blacklisted Russian Tycoon Visit US

Organized crime suspect bypasses visa refusal

Oct 30, 09 1:42 AM CDT
(Newser) - A Russian billionaire barred from the US for years because authorities suspected him of involvement in organized crime was allowed into the country twice this year under a secret deal with the FBI. Despite the objections of other government agencies, metals tycoon Oleg Deripaska was allowed to bypass the visa... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Russia • FBI • organized crime • Vladimir Putin • Oleg Deripaska • Russian oligarchs

Russia Says It Won't Deploy Missiles Near Poland

Kremlin also criticizes Iran's president for denying Holocaust

Sep 19, 09 7:11 PM CDT
(AP) - Russia said today it will scrap a plan to deploy missiles near Poland since Washington has dumped a planned missile shield in Eastern Europe. It also harshly criticized Iran's president for new comments denying the Holocaust. Neither move, however, represented ceding any significant ground. A plan to place Iskander missiles... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Russia • Barack Obama • Poland • Kremlin • missile • missile defense system

 Russia Silent 
 on Iran Concessions 

Critics charge that Obama may have scrapped missile shield for nothing

Sep 19, 09 5:39 AM CDT
(Newser) - While Russia's leaders praised President Obama's decision to drop plans for a missile shield in Eastern Europe yesterday, they were conspicuously silent on whether they would, in return, join the West in pressuring Iran to halt its nuclear program, the New York Times reports. If Russia doesn't start taking a... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Iran • Russia • missile shield • Vladimir Putin • nuclear weapons • nuclear program • missile defense system • Dmitry Medvedev • Obama administration

199 Stories


World 
TwitterFollow @NewserWorld on Twitter

 
Russia • Vladimir Putin • Siberia • Kremlin • vacation • prime minister

from our news partners