Russian strongman Vladimir Putin poses with a fish while enjoying a shirtless holiday with defence minister pal Sergei Shoigu
Outdoors adventureman Putin has been enjoying a few days' holiday in Tuva, a remote region in Siberia
RUSSIAN strongman Vladimir Putin has shown he still a man of action even on his summer break after the Kremlin released some of his holiday snaps.
They show the shirtless leader going hunting and diving in the world’s deepest lake before reeling in the big fish.
The Russian premier was visiting his favourite spot in the Tuva region in Siberia.
The sparsely populated wilderness is about 2,300 miles east of Moscow and contains Lake Baikal - the deepest and oldest in the world.
It was here in 2009 Putin was photographed topless on a horse sporting a pair of shades which is credited as sparking a cult around him.
During that trip he famously went down to the bottom of the lake in a mini submarine.
Putin - who is also a keen practitioner of martial arts and ice hockey - was also seen spear-fishing, swimming and sunbathing alongside Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.
Russia watchers say the president takes action-packed holidays to show the nation that he still every bit the strongman.
In most of the photographs he is topless. And it has to be said for a 63-year-old man he is not in bad shape.
MOST READ NEWS
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters last night: "The water in the lake doesn't get warmer than 17 degrees, but this didn't stop the president from going for a swim.
"He went hunting underwater with a mask and snorkel.
"The president chased after one pike for two hours, there was no way he could shoot it, but in the end he got what he wanted."
Putin is renowned for his strongman publicity stunts, which have contributed to his sky-high popularity ratings.
The trip comes eight months before Russia's presidential election next March and, though he has yet to announce his candidacy, Putin is widely expected to run and to win comfortably.
As well as proving he is still physically fit to rule he also showed his concern for the environment.
On Friday, Mr Putin called for officials to pay "special attention" to clean up the aftermath of "irrational and often irresponsible economic activity"; around his beloved lake where he fishes.
A giant Soviet-built paper mill right beside the waters was largely to blame until it was finally closed in 2013.
Mr Putin said the lake were now being polluted by household sewage and chemicals from farming and said there was a need to "drastically cut down the volume of untreated water being discharged into the lake".
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368.