- Title: MOMENTS: Vladimir Putin's time in office - macho man to sensitive animal lover
- Date: 3rd May 2022
- Summary: Russian President Vladimir Putin took part in the training session of the country's national judo team in Sochi on Thursday (February 14, 2019). Russian TV showed Putin - a judo black belt holder - throwing one athlete after another on the floor. Russian news Agency RIA said Putin, 66, injured a finger during the training session but that did not prevent him from completing the drill. SOCHI, RUSSIA (FILE - FEBRUARY 14, 2019) (RUSSIAN POOL) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** PUTIN PERFORMING TAKEDOWN PUTIN SHAKING HANDS WITH ATHLETE, GREETING JUDO COACH EZIO GAMBA TRAINING SESSION IN PROGRESS PUTIN PERFORMING TAKEDOWN PUTIN HALTING TRAINING SESSION BECAUSE OF HIS FINGER ATHLETE TAPING PUTIN'S FINGER ATHLETES WALKING MEDIA / PUTIN AND ATHLETES POSING FOR PHOTO PUTIN AND ATHLETES POSING FOR PHOTO Russian President Vladimir Putin, together with Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko and his son Nikolai, took to the ice in Sochi for some hockey. SOCHI, RUSSIA (FILE - FEBRUARY 15, 2019) (RUSSIAN POOL) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN PERFORMING PUSHUPS IN FULL HOCKEY GEAR, STANDS UP AND SKATES AWAY BELARUSSIAN PRESIDENT ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO SKATERS ON ICE LUKASHENKO SKATING VARIOUS OF PUTIN SHOOTING HOCKEY PUCK
- Embargoed: 17th May 2022 05:05
- Keywords: Judo Russia Vladimir Putin bare-chested image leader macho man president stunts wildlife conservation
- Location: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- City: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Europe,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00D854001011970RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Russian President Vladimir Putin, 69, has sought to project the image of a healthy, outdoorsman with a strong interest in wildlife conservation during his 22 years as president or prime minister.
He has shot a tiger with a tranquilizer gun, hit a grey whale with a crossbow bolt to collect skin samples, and donned a baggy white jumpsuit to fly a motorized delta plane surrounded by cranes to help introduce them into the wild.
Critics dismiss such activities as public relations exercises and Putin has acknowledged some of the stunts have been carefully staged, but has said they were worthwhile because they drew attention to conservation projects.
Putin has carefully cultivated a macho image which has become a sense of pride for many Russians. He has been pictured riding a horse bare-chested and wearing sun glasses, as well as carrying a hunting rifle and piloting a jet.
He is also well known for playing ice hockey and is a Judo black-belt, a sport he began to take lessons in when he was a boy, but in 2022 he was removed from all positions in the International Judo Federation (IJF) by the sport's governing body in a rebuke following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
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