Russian President Vladimir Putin goes hiking before his birthday

Russian President Vladimir Putin, known for his adventurous trips, took some time out of his schedule ahead of his birthday and went hiking in Siberia’s wilderness. In a video released by a TV network funded by the Russian government, Putin can be seen hiking, hillwalking and driving off road with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu. He spent the day with some of his top officials in Siberia Taiga forest. According to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, Putin wanted to spend his birthday with his family and friends. 

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Campfire, hiking and hillwalking

In the video, Putin can be seen talking to Shoigu who uncovers a berry bush. 'Plant it in the Moscow Region. You can plant it at your dacha in the Moscow Region,' Putin tells Shoigu. They also made a campfire at a resting place and ate while observing the surroundings. Peskov had earlier said that Putin prefers to spend his free time with family and friends or taking adventurous trips. 

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Not the first time

This is not the first time that Kremlin released the footages of Russian President going into the wild. In 2017, Kremlin released photographs of shirtless Putin when he went on a three-day fishing and hunting trip in Siberia. “The water in the lake doesn't get warmer than 17 degrees, but this didn't stop the president from going for a swim," Peskov told the reporters. “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,” he added.

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Fitness enthusiast Putin

According to Peskov, Putin spends about one and a half-hour every day for several physical activities such as swimming and exercising in the gym. Putin, a fitness enthusiast, never shy away from making his pictures public which gets a lot of media attention around the world. While Putin will celebrate his birthday with his family, this year he celebrated Chinese President Xi Jinping’s birthday in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

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(With inputs from agencies)