Putin Joins Defense Minister Shoigu on Taiga Trek
President Vladimir Putin joined Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu for a three-day hunting and fishing trip in the Siberian forests.
According to the Kremlin, Putin made the stopover in Siberia while he was on his way back to Moscow from an economic forum in the Far East city of Vladivostok earlier this month — and before the Russian president went into self-isolation over Covid-19 cases in his inner circle.
It was just the latest of many joint trips into the taiga for the president, who seeks to bolster his image as an avid outdoorsman, and the defense minister, who hails from the Siberian republic of Tuva. The pair's outings have become a regular fixture.
Here’s a closer look at their outdoorsy excursion:
According to the Kremlin, Putin made the stopover in Siberia while he was on his way back to Moscow from an economic forum in the Far East city of Vladivostok earlier this month — and before the Russian president went into self-isolation over Covid-19 cases in his inner circle.
It was just the latest of many joint trips into the taiga for the president, who seeks to bolster his image as an avid outdoorsman, and the defense minister, who hails from the Siberian republic of Tuva. The pair's outings have become a regular fixture.
Here’s a closer look at their outdoorsy excursion:
Putin and Shoigu traveled to an undisclosed location in the wilderness.
“It was an ordinary holiday: taiga, mountains, walks, fresh air and so on,” Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
“It was an ordinary holiday: taiga, mountains, walks, fresh air and so on,” Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
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Putin was pictured hiking and fishing, both in deep and shallow water.
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One video shows that the pair caught a pike while fishing in deep water.
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“The president developed a special bond with Siberia,” Peskov said of Putin's regular vacations there.
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According to the Kremlin, Putin “stumbled upon” a bear’s den. Fortunately, the bear was not at home.
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Nearly colliding with a herd of red deer proved to be the most exciting part of the trip, Putin later said. “They almost knocked us flying, moving at enormous speed. Such leaps. They should take part in the Olympic Games. They would have no equal.”
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According to Russian media reports, Putin's outfit consisted entirely of Russian-made items that cost less than $200 each.
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Shoigu recently made headlines for proposing the creation of several new cities across Siberia with a population of 300,000 to 500,000 each as a way to revitalize the region. According to Peskov, Putin and Shoigu may have discussed the proposal during this trip.
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